


To the Victor Go the Spoils

by KatNocta



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Genre: M/M, Prideshipping, Puzzleshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-06-10 02:01:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 31,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6933427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatNocta/pseuds/KatNocta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seto Kaiba is obsessed with his drive to best the King of Games, no matter what the cost. However, he doesn't stop to think of just what that cost might be. Puzzleshipping & twisted, one-sided Prideshipping. Mild warning for dark themes and insanity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. King of Games

**To the Victor Go the Spoils**

Timeline: A few months to a year after the end of the series. Yugi and Yami are fully separated following the Ceremonial Duel, which Yugi wins, but Yami chooses to stay and remain separate, rather than continue to the afterlife. 

Rating: T for dark themes: insanity, non-sexual violence, language.

Pairings: Mild Puzzleshipping, twisted and one-sided Prideshipping down the line

_Italics_ indicate thoughts or emphasis.

* * *

Seto slammed the door shut behind him, a furious snarl etched into his face. He paced the floor of his bedroom angrily, letting the last vestiges of self-control fall away and his rage take over.

"AGAIN," he growled to the empty air in front of him. "AGAIN he thwarts me. AGAIN he snatched victory right from under my nose!" With a roar of frustration and hatred, he snatched a small decorative vase from his dresser and hurled it across the room, where it exploded in a shower of colored glass against the wall.

"…Seto?" a small voice inquired as his door was inched open. Seto glared at the intruder, not caring that he was looking into the very concerned and wary eyes of his little brother.

Mokuba entered the room once he saw that his brother was not holding any other objects that could be used as projectiles. "I guess your rematch with Yami didn't go too well, did it?"

Seto growled softly. "How," he spat out, "do YOU think it went?"

Mokuba wisely chose to say nothing, merely shrugging.

"I lost. AGAIN. That fucking _former pharaoh_ pulled a victory out of his ass with only 200 life points. I STILL don't know how he did it; he didn't even use the Egyptian God Cards, and those are the only reason why he's unbeatable!" Seto's rage was growing; he could hardly speak, choking with hatred. "This is RIDICULOUS. I KNOW I can beat him! I KNOW I can wipe that fucking smirk off his face! There's NO WAY he can keep beating me like this!"

Mokuba swallowed. This had been happening for months, and it was only getting worse. His older brother's desire to best the King of Games had grown into a full-blown obsession. Every couple of weeks, he'd challenge Yami to a duel. And lose. And come home in a rage of hatred and humiliation that put him out of his mind for hours. Mokuba had gotten into the habit of checking to make sure his brother was physically all right and then ducking out of the house to hang out with his friends – which, to his brother's annoyance, often included Yugi and his friends – until Seto had calmed down.

It was usually pointless to reason with him, but he had to try. "Seto…Yami's the King of Games. You're at least difficult for him to beat; what's so bad about being second to-."

"BECAUSE THE TITLE KING OF GAMES BELONGS TO ME. NOT SOME SPIKY-HAIRED RUNT WHO SHOULDN'T EVEN BE _ALIVE_!" Seto thundered. His fists clenched as Mokuba opened his mouth to protest. "No. Get out."

Mokuba's eyes widened at the look on Seto's face. "But, Big Brother—."

"GET OUT."

Mokuba complied, practically running out of his brother's room and out of the mansion, stopping only to grab his backpack. "Roland," he called to the security guard on his way out, "Make sure he doesn't destroy anything else."

The older man sighed wearily. This was starting to get old. "Yes, sir."

Seto locked the door as Mokuba's steps retreated down the hall. His hands shook; he was breathing as hard as though he had just run a marathon. He paced again, running his hands through his hair, gripping fistfuls as particularly painful thoughts flew through his head.

_That goddamn son of a bitch,_ he snarled to himself. _He must have a weakness. He **MUST**. _ Mentally, he reviewed their recent duels. Every time, his rival had beaten him. _Every time!_ There HAD to be a flaw in his strategy!

Seto had been convinced that the God Cards were the only reason why he was so unbeatable. So he had dared him to set them aside, trying to goad him into getting angry and making a fatal mistake. But what had the King of Games said to him?

" _Very well, Kaiba," he said, coolly raising an eyebrow. "I shouldn't have to prove that to YOU, of all people, but if you insist…"_

And he'd beaten him. Again. Without the God Cards. It was, admittedly, a closer duel than usual, but he'd still pulled through.

"'Me of all people,' INDEED," Seto growled to himself. He'd had Exodia the last time he'd won against him without a God Card in his deck. And deprived of it, he'd lost – in what Seto had difficulty admitting was not entirely a fair match, but he'd still lost. And he'd lost to that oversized biker a few months later. And Yugi had won against his other half in that Egyptian crypt. _And that means he's not invincible!_

Seto slammed his fist onto the top of his dresser. He stared into the mirror above it, barely registering his wild appearance: his tousled hair, sticking out in all directions; his eyes, furious and gleaming with a soft madness that had nothing to do with anger. "There has…to be a way…" he rasped. "There HAS to."

An image of his hated rival seemed to float before his eyes. Yami, former pharaoh and King of Games, fully separated from his other half, alive and well even though he'd been given the chance to disappear into the afterlife. That confident smirk, assurance in those red-violet eyes, complete trust in his skills and his deck, assured without being overtly arrogant. Seto hated every inch of him. By his side, his smaller counterpart, just as assured, just as confident, but softer…those _sickening_ violet eyes always holding a smile. Those infuriating cheerleaders that called themselves his friends, who'd risked their lives for him…

_That's it._ Slowly, a deranged smirk replaced the fury on his face. Memories seemed to well up unbidden: Yami hurling himself in front of Marik's blast at Joey and Mai; standing anxiously beside Joey's bed; yelling at him time and time again to call off a duel when it became clear that his friends were in serious danger…

…And the look on his face when he realized Yugi had to take the damage for him in that final duel of Battle City.

Yes. He would beat him. He'd finally found his weakness…it had been staring him in the face the whole time.

A plan began to form in his head, and he began to laugh, a wild laugh bordering on hysteria, and he didn't stop until tears poured from his eyes and his lungs were wrung out of air. Yes, he'd beat the so-called King of Games…at a game of his own making, this time. And _finally_ , FINALLY he would be back on top. Second to no one.

Forever.


	2. Weakness Exploited

"Aw c'mon, Yug! She totally had the hots for me!"

Yugi laughed at his best friend as they walked through the sun-splashed streets of downtown Domino on their way back to the Game Shop. "Joey, you were sitting next to _Duke._ You _know_ how girls respond to him."

Joey feigned outrage, amusement dancing in his eyes. "So? I can attract females if I want to! I'm as much a specimen of manliness as he is!"

"Yeah, but Duke's actually _good-looking_ …"

"HEY!" Yugi ducked a smack aimed at his head, grinning.

"I'm just saying it could be a contributing factor!"

"Yeah, well so is _height_ , and in case you didn't notice…OY!" Yugi had poked his friend in the ribs none too gently.

"See?" Yugi said, sticking his nose in the air, "Shortness has its advantages!"

"Like getting asked for ID every time you buy a movie ticket?" Joey laughed. It was true…Yugi couldn't go anywhere without his school ID proving that he was, in fact, older than people assumed.

"Oh that does it, mister! I'll show YOU why shortness is a good thing! RACE YOU!" And Yugi took off like a shot in the direction of the Game Shop before Joey had fully processed what had happened.

"HEY! YUG! THAT'S NOT…aw _crap_ ," Joey sputtered, kicking his own legs into gear. Yugi could beat the pants off of any of his friends in a race, and they all knew it. He tore down the street in pursuit of his pocket-sized friend, hoping that he'd show mercy around the halfway point.

* * *

 Yugi smirked to himself as he pelted down the street, dodging the shoppers making the most of the bright spring day. There was no way Joey would catch up with him, despite his long legs. They'd never really figured out what made him such a good runner, but Yugi was perfectly willing to attribute it to his tiny stature – less resistance from the wind, he'd say.

He slowed a bit, looking behind him to make sure he hadn't actually lost his best friend in the crowd. _Nope—there he is!_ Running at full speed and gaining. Yugi waved and then pointed at a cross-street to show his direction – a slightly longer way back that involved more turns and a cut through the park. Joey flipped him off in reply, making him laugh and pick up speed again.

Neither boy noticed a small black car ambling along the street nearby, as if the driver wasn't entirely sure what he was looking for. When Yugi had pointed, however, the car sped up slightly and made the turn before he did.

Yugi dashed around the first corner, making it to the second and crossing the street to turn left down a small side street in record time. Glancing back once more for his friend, he didn't see the pair of tall men in dark suits step directly into his path and he collided head-on with one of them.

"Ow!" He stumbled back a few steps, trying not to fall. Re-gaining his balance, he looked up at the two in front of him, glaring at him behind dark sunglasses. "I'm so sorry! I didn't watch where I was going…I didn't hurt you, did I?"

The taller of the two smirked. "No. Not at all."

"Oh, good," Yugi smiled, relieved that they weren't taking offense to his idiocy. "Sorry again," he said, starting to go around them.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Actually, we'd like you to come with us."

Yugi frowned, looking up at the stony face. His expression was unreadable, and Yugi was beginning to get a little nervous. "Where? What for?" They didn't _look_ like your everyday thieves, but there was definitely something 'off' about them.

"Someone wishes to have a friendly chat with you, that's all." Yugi didn't like the man's tone. It sounded…like a bully gleefully cornering his next victim. He noticed that the man's partner was no longer in his line of sight, which wasn't a good sign. He started to back up slowly, thinking that if he reached the main street, he could at least lose himself in the crowd. Or find Joey…whom he fervently hoped would catch up soon.

Trying to keep a calm façade, he said, "No, I really don't think I-." Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind and a hand was slapped over his mouth. Immediately, he started struggling, trying to scream for help.

"Well, then…guess we'll just have to do this the hard way."

* * *

 Joey gasped for breath as he rounded the corner. _Man, I am NOT out of shape, but I just can't run like this!_ _Gah, Yug, you are SO DEAD when we get back!_ The next turn, he knew, was left at the next corner. Usually, his friend would wait across the street to make sure he knew the way…and to tease him once or twice about large creatures with slow speed. This time, there was no sign of a short, spiky head anywhere… _which means he's gonna jump me out of nowhere once I get there._ Joey grinned to himself. For all his innocent looks, Yugi had a solid streak of mischief.

He crossed the street and rounded the corner, expecting a short, multi-colored blob of energy to come catapulting at him. Nothing happened.

Joey frowned. It wasn't like Yugi to go full steam ahead here. The street was narrow and darker than the main streets, twisting around the backs of the oddly sized stores and eventually leading to a quiet avenue right near the park. No side streets or alleys, but the pavement was rough and cracked, making it more of an obstacle course than a racing track. He looked around, seeing a few pedestrians ambling along the sidewalk, but none that resembled his friend.

"Yug?" He called uncertainly, starting down the street. "Oy, Yug!" No answer. "Okay, okay, shortness is cool! Happy?" Still no answer.

Suddenly, he tripped and almost went sprawling. Turning to glower at whatever rock had decided to pick on him, he stopped dead, abruptly feeling cold as ice as he stared at the object on the ground.

Time seemed to slow down as he picked up the Puzzle, a couple of pieces coming loose in his hand. It didn't hold the power it once had now that Yami no longer resided in it, but it was their prized possession, a reminder of the link they'd once shared.

Yugi would never leave his Puzzle behind willingly. And that meant only one thing.

Joey took off for the Game Shop at top speed, reverting to the shortest route he knew.

* * *

 "So this is basically Capsule Monsters taken to a whole new level," Mokuba said, looking over the brand-new box as Yami finished explaining the rules to him.

"Yep, that's right. Yugi and I thought of you when we were unpacking them yesterday," Yami smiled mischievously at the younger Kaiba. "I seem to remember you liked the original game…"

"Okay, okay, can we _not_ talk about past embarrassments?" Mokuba laughed as he met the gaze of the former pharaoh, who looked amused.

"If you say so," he conceded with a grin. "But go ahead and take that home. I'm sure your brother would love to learn another game to kick your butt in."

"Ha! He can try!" Mokuba giggled, but then his grin faded.

Yami saw the change of expression. "Your brother didn't take well to losing our duel today, did he?" His voice was laced with sympathy.

"No, he didn't. The same as usual," the younger boy sighed. "I think he's getting worse."

"Worse?"

"He broke a vase today. I know, he's broken stuff before, but…" Mokuba closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the look in his brother's eyes before he'd shouted at him to get out. Opening them, his gaze met concerned red-violet.

"It makes me wonder what he'd do if I refused. I don't want you to get hurt," Yami placed his hand on top of Mokuba's, looking troubled.

Mokuba sat back on the couch, letting the King of Games' hand warm his own. "Well…why _do_ you accept his challenges all the time? Doesn't it get annoying to get one from him every other week?"

"Sometimes. But…" Yami paused, considering his words. "Your brother is tough to beat, Mokuba. One of the few duelists whom I find a true challenge to win against every time. Duels like that are really enjoyable, because they keep me on my toes." He laughed a bit, sounding almost apologetic. "I suppose that when you get used to winning all the time, a challenge that makes you sweat becomes the most fun."

"Yeah, I guess so." Mokuba smiled. "Has Yugi ever beaten you?"

Yami chuckled again, in amusement this time. "A lot more often than I care to admit. He's tougher than he looks. Don't let him know I told you that, though, or I'll never hear the end of it!"

A horn honking outside the door caught their attention. Roland stepped out of the short limo and waved to Mokuba. "Right on time, as usual," the black-haired boy chirped, waving back.

"Wow, when he says he'll be here in 15 minutes, he _means_ 15 minutes," Yami smiled, rising and handing him his game. "Have fun with that, Mokuba. I'll tell Yugi you dropped by."

"Thanks! Tell him I say hi!" Mokuba called as he left the Game Shop and jumped into the limo. Roland nodded in greeting to Yami as he returned to the driver's seat and drove away.

Yami sat back down on the sofa, a concerned frown overtaking his face as the sound of the Kaiba's limo faded away. Yes, dueling Seto was a fun challenge…it was Seto himself who was less than fun. The man would not stop challenging him for his title, trying strategy after strategy to try and best him. Yami would have enjoyed the new challenges, the efforts to throw him off his guard more if his rival didn't act like beating him was a life or death matter.

He sighed, leaning his head back against the cushion behind him. He knew the elder Kaiba could have a nasty temper when provoked, and lately, he seemed barely in control after he left the private duel arena they usually used. Normally his opponent being a sore loser wouldn't bother him, but Mokuba was in danger of getting hurt every time his older brother lost control. Seto would never purposefully hurt his little brother, but all it would take would be one vase thrown the wrong way to send Mokuba to the hospital with a concussion.

 _Maybe I SHOULD stop accepting his challenges for a time_ , he mused. _As enjoyable as it is to duel him, he gets more dangerous every time he fails. At best, it'd pull his temper under control for a while…_

CRASH.

Yami jumped up, whipping his head towards the door, which now stood open. Leaning against it was Joey – windblown, red-faced, and gasping for air like a drowning man. Yami opened his mouth to needle him on how rude scaring one's best friend was, but the panicked expression on the blond's face made the remark die in his throat.

"What…what's wrong?" With growing trepidation, he realized that Yugi wasn't with him.

Joey was still too winded to form words. In response, he held up the Puzzle cradled in his hands.

Yami felt the blood drain from his face. Wordlessly, he strode to his friend, taking the gold pyramid from him and fitting the two dislodged pieces back into their rightful places. He and Yugi never took the Puzzle off in public. It had no power now, but it meant a lot to them. The symbol of their bond with each other; their feeling that despite being fully separate, they were still two halves of a whole.

The only way Yugi would've parted with it was in a struggle that he didn't win. And judging from the look on Joey's face, and the strong evidence that he had run at top speed to the Shop, he knew that, too.

 _If the Puzzle had retained its power, finding him would be easy. But…but…_ He took a slow breath, trying to stave off the waves of panic that were churning in his stomach. Motioning for his friend to sit down, he whispered hoarsely, "Tell me what happened."


	3. Fun and Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba's sanity ebbs as he continues his plan.

The first thing Yugi became aware of was a throbbing pain on the back of his skull. Groggily, he wondered how it had gotten there. He hadn't had any injuries last time he'd checked.

And when had his bed gotten so hard? Lying facedown, it felt a lot colder to his cheek than usual, too. Perhaps he was in his Soul Room…he'd often wake up on the floor of his Soul Room during the night, but pain usually wasn't involved.

Wearily, he opened his eyes. And blinked.

It was dark. Too dark for comfort, in fact. He was lying on a hard cement floor, in a tiny room that held a few dusty-looking boxes and a very battered-looking three-legged stool. Directly across from him, barely ten feet away, was a door that allowed a small sliver of dim light to peek through the bottom.

In other words, it didn't look like his Soul Room at all. Yugi tried forcing his brain into a more awake state, feeling that he was surely missing something, that surely the Puzzle was playing some kind of trick with him—

The Puzzle. It wasn't around his neck.

And he hadn't had a Soul Room for _months_.

Yugi jerked fully awake. Dear gods, the Puzzle. Where was it? He'd been wearing it just a little while ago! Frantic, he tried to jump to his feet…but something caught, his arms wouldn't move, and he only succeeded in jerking his body slightly to the right. Which didn't do anything but make his headache ten times worse.

Frowning, he focused on why he'd failed to get himself up. Once again he tried to move, but his arms were firmly locked behind him, wrists bound together. He gave a few cautious tugs, but the twine – or whatever it was – didn't budge. Come to think of it, there was something awfully dry in his mouth, too. A wad of cloth.

Suddenly, he remembered. The race with Joey…he'd pulled far ahead, as usual, had turned down that winding street…he'd bumped into someone. A tall man, wearing a dark suit. He'd had a partner…who had grabbed him from behind. He'd struggled, and suddenly they were both trying to subdue him, trying to pull him towards a nondescript black car. He felt the Puzzle slide from his neck and that moment of distraction was all they needed to toss him into the car. Then he'd felt a sharp pain on the back of his head…

…And woken up here.

Oh gods, this was bad. This was _bad._ He struggled again, trying to break the bonds that held his wrists together. Where was Joey? Had they captured him, too? Yugi hoped not, but then again, Joey had been so far behind him when he'd started down that street that they probably hadn't even seen him. Hopefully, his best friend was safe.

His bonds wouldn't budge. Whoever had done this to him had done their job well. His legs were free, but that didn't help him much. He didn't see a doorknob on his side of the door and he highly doubted that kicking it would do anything but give him a sore foot. Grimly, he wormed his way into a sitting position, leaning against the wall of his prison, determined to face his captor head-on as best he could.

 _I don't know who you are,_ he thought, his features coming together in a determined frown, _But if you think I'll just give up and give you whatever it is you want, you are dead WRONG._

* * *

Yami paced the Game Shop frantically, his mind in hyper-drive. It had been hours since Joey had shown up with Yugi's Puzzle, and they were no closer to finding his lighter half than when they'd started searching.

He turned to the three teens leaning against the couch nearby, who looked just as anxious as he felt. "You're sure we haven't left any place out? Forgotten to check with anyone we know?"

"Yami," Téa sighed. "We've looked all over Domino. The police say they can't get involved until 24 hours have passed. What else can we do?"

"And Duke was the last one on our list, and I've called him," chimed in Joey. "I'm tellin' ya, he was kidnapped. That's the only possible explanation."

"Yes, but _why?_ " Tristan asked the question all of them were thinking. "It doesn't make any sense! The only valuable thing he had with him was the Puzzle and they left that behind; what else could they want with him?"

No one had an answer. The shop was quiet for a few minutes.

"Yami," Téa finally spoke up softly. "It's after 10. I need to get home."

"Me too, man," said Tristan, looking apologetic. "But look, I'll keep trying to think of something, okay?"

Yami nodded, barely watching his two friends leave. He turned to Joey, raising an eyebrow in question.

Joey shrugged. "I don't got anywhere I gotta be tonight. 'sides, you look like you need some company."

Yami nodded again, sitting down heavily on the edge of the coffee table and putting his head in his hands. The room was quiet once more, neither teen wanting to admit that there was nothing further they could do. Both stared into space, guilt tearing at their insides.

"Gods, I hate this," Yami broke the silence. "I hate feeling so helpless. If only the Puzzle still connected us, I'd be able to find him…I can't stand the thought of him being hurt."

"You and me both, man," Joey said, staring at the floor. " _I_ wish I'd been faster. If I'd been half a block closer, I might've at least been able to see what happened…but nothin'." He growled in frustration.

"I don't blame you, Joey," The King of Games said softly.

"Thanks. Doesn't help much, though." He paused. "Look, Yami, Yug's tough. If anyone can make it through a crap situation and back, it's him. I'm sure we'll see him soon."

Yami glowered at the floor. "I hope so. And whoever is responsible for this will have _hell to pay_."

* * *

"Sir…"

Seto looked up from his desk. The past few hours had seen him hard at work in his home office. Instead of KaibaCorp documents, however, his screen was full of statistics on one individual. Tournament records. Strategy analyses. Favored cards and combinations. And information on his known friends and family. Nothing that he didn't already know himself, but sometimes it helped to see things laid out in front of him.

"This had better be important," he growled. He'd specifically said not to disturb him unless it concerned a particular matter.

"Sir, it seems your guest has awoken."

Excitement sparked, and he resisted the urge to laugh. Just in time to save him from boredom. "He has, has he?" He rose. "I suppose I should go pay him a welcome visit, then. You've secured him?"

"In the basement, sir, in what used to be one of your storage closets. Passcode-entry only."

"Excellent." He strode out of the room, making his way through the halls and down towards the lower levels of his mansion.

The kidnap had gone better than he could've asked for. Minimal time involved, no witnesses. It was almost as though the gods themselves were on his side. The gods. God Cards. He'd made a pun. Ha! So unlike him, to make a joke like that. He imagined the God Cards' holograms hovering above him, giant protectors offering their support, though they technically belonged to another…a problem that could eventually be rectified…

But first things first. He grinned, a nasty, wild grin that brought a maniacal look to his face. The shrimp was probably wondering what was going on. Poor little Yugi, _so_ confused, and _so_ naïve that he couldn't _possibly_ guess who was coming for him…he bit back an insane little giggle. Oh yes, this was going to be _fun._ Fun and games, just like his name…

Really, he was bait for that spiky-haired bastard, but it didn't hurt to try to get some information out of him. He was the former pharaoh's _other half_ , after all…a notion that made Seto hate him almost as much as the son of a bitch he resembled. _If anyone knows his strengths and weaknesses, it's Yugi,_ he smirked. _And what FUN it'll be to chat with him again…Oh, little Yugi, you've no IDEA what you've gotten yourself into._ He chuckled darkly. _Little Yugi, little game…we're gonna play a little game…_

He paused in the dark hallway, two levels below the ground floor, lit only by a few fluorescent bulbs. He glanced at the computer monitor outside one particular door. The camera had been installed that very afternoon and was functioning perfectly. Seto was pleased to see that someone had already switched it to night-vision, making the tiny room appear to glow with green light. Such a sickly green…not too pleasant to look at. He wondered who had chosen green as the standard night-vision color. Surely he'd learned that in his studies somewhere. Maybe his next project could be creating a night-vision camera that displayed blue. Blue was a much nicer color than green.

The bright green figure stirred slightly, recapturing his attention. The spiky-haired midget was sitting on the floor, legs crossed Indian-style, looking for all the world like he belonged in there. No fear? Well, that was disappointing. He'd certainly have to fix that. Glowering slightly, Seto entered the code in the keypad next to the door, which slid open immediately.

He flicked the light switch on the inside wall, illuminating the room with a bright bulb, causing the small figure on the floor to close his eyes, cringing against the brightness. _Oh yes…fun indeed. Welcome to hell, little Yugi_ , he thought gleefully, mentally giggling but keeping his face perfectly neutral. Casually, he pulled the wad of fabric out of Yugi's mouth and tossed it to the side. And waited.

Yugi blinked a few times and looked up. His gaze met Seto's and Seto watched amusedly as his face twisted into an expression of shock and outrage. "YOU!" he croaked. His mouth was clearly dry. Seto allowed himself to snicker. Yugi swallowed once, twice. "What the _crap_ is going on?"

"Why, I wanted to chat with you, Yugi. Catch up on _old times_ together," Seto said in a mockery of a friendly greeting. He was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"And you couldn't have just _invited_ me here?" Oooh, some spunk! He liked that. Challenges were _always_ fun, and no one could _ever_ say Seto backed down from one. "What do you _really_ want?"

"Oooh, the midget version of the King of Games means _business._ Very well, then." He pulled over the battered stool from its corner. Reaching down, he grabbed Yugi by his shirt collar and shoved him roughly onto it. "So I don't have to look _down_ so far." Yugi glowered at him, but there was a flicker of nervousness in his eyes. "You, my friend, are going to tell me everything you know about the King of Games."

Yugi gave a humorless laugh. "That would take all day. I don't feel like talking for so long." Seto merely grinned. This was definitely better entertainment than fear. He didn't expect the midget to comply right off the bat, anyway.

"Let me be more specific, then. You," he drawled out, bringing his face closer to Yugi's, "shared minds for quite some time. You must know _everything_ about him. His likes, dislikes…and his _weaknesses_. I already know his strengths, so you can skip that part."

Comprehension dawned on Yugi's face and he looked slightly nauseated. "This is about today's duel isn't it?" Irritation flashed through Seto at the memory. He _should have won!_ "You can't beat him…"

"SHUT UP," Seto glared at him, anger coursing through him. How _dare_ he? _Of course Seto could beat him!_

But Yugi only continued, "…So you're trying to force me into betraying him? That's low, even for _you_ , Kaiba."

His rage spiked, and he struck the smaller boy across the face. "You," he snarled, all good humor gone, "need to learn _respect._ " He kicked the stool out from under Yugi, sending him tumbling painfully to the floor. "You'll tell me how to beat him. One way…or another." He grabbed the duelist by the hair, hauling him to his feet, grimly satisfied at the look of pain that crossed his face. "Care to reconsider?"

Yugi opened his eyes and dared to look Seto straight in the face. He was white and shaking, but stood his ground. "Yami is the King of Games," he said stubbornly. "You'll never beat him. And I'll go to _hell_ before I tell you anything else."

With a roar of anger, Seto threw him to the side, causing him to slam into the corner. "Then," he growled, settling into a predatory stance, "I'll send you to hell."


	4. Dangerous Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night deepens. Yami receives a call. Kaiba stays up late.

Yugi lay curled in a ball on the ground, where Seto had left him. His breathing came in shallow gasps, and every movement caused him pain. He hurt all over.

Slowly, he pushed himself back with his feet until his back touched the wall, his grunt of effort quickly getting replaced with a whimper of pain. He stopped to catch his breath and then continued pushing himself into a sitting position once more, in the corner farthest from the door. He leaned back, allowing his bruised muscles to unwind a bit.

Seto had given him the worst beating he'd received since he'd solved the Puzzle. He'd hurled question after question at him, trying to get him to break down and give him the information he wanted. And the more Yugi had resisted, the angrier he'd gotten.

His lips twitched into a brief smile. _Never thought a shrimp could be so resilient, did you, Kaiba?_ He thought in grim satisfaction. _I've gotten the stuffing kicked out of me by bullies twice your size. I've come closer to death than you can imagine. It'll take more than a handful of bruises and threats to break me._ _However…_

He frowned, wincing as the action pulled at the black eye blossoming on his face. Bruises he could deal with. He'd dealt with worse. It was Seto's new attitude that disturbed him.

_The Kaiba I knew,_ he thought, troubled, _kept himself under rigid control. He's been determined to beat Yami since we defeated him with Exodia, but he was adamant that he'd win an honorable match. Even his recent challenges…he never wanted Yami to go easy on him. He wanted him at his best, dueling with honor. And no matter how angry he got when he lost, he'd keep his temper and depart respectfully._

This new Kaiba, on the other hand, was a different story. In the few days since he'd seen him, his entire demeanor had changed. Gone were the icy stares, the controlled sneers, the carefully buttoned-up outfits with not a hair out of place. This Kaiba was unkempt – hair sticking out in all directions, clothes that looked slept in, dark shadows under his eyes – and…' _emotionally unstable' comes to mind,_ he shivered. He'd started off their "conversation" looking amused, in a disturbingly good mood that did not match the situation at all. Less than two minutes later, amusement had morphed into a wild rage that had twisted his normally stoic features into a face that could haunt children's nightmares. And his eyes…Yugi shuddered, remembering the wild, maniacal gaze that had burned into his own eyes.

Even the fact that he was here _at all_ was out-of-whack. Kidnapping and rough interrogation wasn't the old Kaiba's style. The new Kaiba clearly had no issues with it, if the pain throbbing through his body was any clue.

There was something wrong with him. _Very_ wrong. And it disturbed Yugi to the core to see him like this. If he could be this violent now, who knows what he could do to his friends? To Yami? _Oh gods, Yami…I really hope you're okay. I wish there was a way to warn you…_

His eyes drooped. He wondered what time it was. He was tired, very tired…but his stomach churned with anxiety. Anxiety for his friends, for his other half, for what Seto was capable of. He let his head fall back against the wall, his weary thoughts troubled.

He could handle a bully. He wasn't sure if he could handle a madman.

And that made him a lot less confident about his chances of making it out of there in one piece.

* * *

Seto hummed to himself – a nonsensical tune, one that didn't have any real direction – as he sifted through the data on his computer, looking for one particular piece of information. He smirked to himself, amused. It was so unlike him to hum aloud. Perhaps he was getting sentimental and soft. The idea made him giggle.

The midget hadn't told him a thing he'd wanted to know. He was surprisingly resistant; the cowardly little wimp he'd been at the start of high school was gone. Another change that could be attributed to the _former pharaoh_ , no doubt… _stupid bastard,_ he thought, momentarily irritated.

However, Seto was not upset about Yugi's lack of cooperation. It _had_ been fun to terrorize him, almost _too much_ fun. He giggled to himself, remembering the giddy sense of power he'd gotten from seeing the shrimp squirm, crying out in pain as his foot connected with his stomach. Or something else. He didn't particularly care. It had just felt _good._ At last, a sense of victory! Victory and being _on top_ again! Yugi had been at _his_ mercy, his fate was in _his_ hands, his pain _his_ punishment for resisting _him!_

Seto laughed as his euphoria reached its peak, a cackle that rang with madness. He felt power sear his veins; his vision sharpened to a crystal clarity that was almost painful. He felt _strong._ He felt powerful, wildly and beautifully powerful. He felt… _alive._

The information popped up on his screen. He stared at it for a moment, grinning maniacally. Time to put his plan into motion. He reached for the phone.

A giggle escaped his lips and he stopped. Wait, wait. This would never do for a conversation with the King of Games. The man was a study in composure. No sense in letting him know right off the bat how powerless he was finally going to become. No, he had to play his game. His dark game. Yugi. Yami. Dark Game. The Dark Game, the Dark King of Games had to play _his dark game._ And it was _his game_ , his own game, his own rules and there was _no way the King of Games could win._

He sneered at the phone near his hand. Much better. Can't let the King of Games think that this is just a fun little game, oh no. This was serious. A serious game. He picked up the phone and dialed.

Someone picked up halfway through the second ring. "Hello?" Ah, the King of Games himself, sounding rather stressed. Already worried about his little counterpart, no doubt. His voice sent tremors of hatred up Seto's spine.

"Hello, Yami," he said softly, amusement touching his voice. "Having a good evening?"

" _Kaiba?_ " Yami sounded surprised. "Why are you calling at _this_ time of night?"

Seto could have laughed. _Oh my dear Yami, how dense we are tonight._ "I decided I wanted a friendly chat, of course. Why _else_ would I be calling?"

He heard some muttering in the background. Then, "It's not exactly your style to call me late at night for a _friendly chat_ ," Yami said dryly. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. This is not a good time."

"Not a good time?" Seto asked in mock sympathy. "Why, what's wrong? What's made the King of Games so _tense_ this evening?"

Silence on the other line. Then Yami spoke again, slowly, sounding slightly disturbed. "What…is the _real_ reason for this late-night call, Kaiba?"

Seto smirked, deciding on the spot to bug him just for fun. "Hm…" he feigned thoughtfulness.

"Kaiba!" Yami sounded irritated now.

Oooh, he was getting to him. Excellent. "Well, aren't _we_ cranky this evening," he sneered. "Good thing I have some news for you that will brighten up your day."

"…And what is that?" Cautious, now. Wary. Aw, the King of Games didn't trust him. How cute.

"I know where your little _counterpart_ is hiding." Gleefully, he waited for the inevitable…

" _WHAT?"_ Seto wanted to laugh right then and there. Shock and…relief. _Oh dear, King of Games, it's not THAT easy._ "Where is he? Is he all right? Where did you find him?"

Seto did laugh then. Yami was _so_ amusing when he was worried.

"Kaiba! I don't have time for games! _Where is Yugi?_ "

_Oh, but you DO have time for games. MY game, my serious little game. And such FUN we'll have…_ "Staying with _me_ , of course. Though he has no desire to return home. And he's fine…for now." _Well…almost fine. But you don't need to know that yet, do you?_

Silence again. Then Yami spoke again, his voice laced with barely controlled anger. "What. Have you done. To my partner."

"Why, nothing of course. Just a nice warm welcome. You're far too suspicious, _King of Games_."

" _Bullshit,_ " Yami spat. _That's right, pharaoh, SQUIRM. Squirm knowing there's NOTHING you can do!_

"Do I need to send some visual confirmation? He's here and he's fine."

"Let me speak to him. _Now!_ "

Seto was having a hard time holding in his laughter. Oh how FUN this was! "Oh Yami, you are in _no_ position to be giving orders," he said silkily, hoping that the King of Games would catch his drift.

He did. "…What do you want, then?" Apprehension. Gods, he was _so_ easy to read.

"I want you to come here at 4 PM tomorrow. We'll discuss what I want then. Your answers will determine whether you'll be reunited with your precious _other half_."

"Fine. But I'm warning you…you lay _one finger_ on him-."

"Ooooh, threats from the _pharaoh._ I'm _shaking._ " Yami growled in response. "If he cooperates with me, he'll remain in one piece. If not…well, we'll see what happens when you arrive tomorrow, shall we?" _How does it feel, you bastard? How does it feel that you can do NOTHING but what I want you to do?_

"…You son of a _bitch_." _My, what an obscene mouth you've got, my dear pharaoh_. "I'll be there."

"Of course you will." He hung up. And laughed. He laughed and laughed, not noticing the notes of insanity and hysteria that crept in, until his sides hurt and tears ran down his face.

"AH, YES, PHARAOH," he crowed, "You'll play my little game! My game, my GLORIOUS little game! And when I'm done, you'll be _done_ with games, because you'll lose THIS one so miserably that there's _no one_ who will give you a second _glance!_ " He could see it now…the arrogant smirk wiped clean off his face, the mask crumbling, the fear showing, defeat and humiliation in the red-violet eyes that were once so strong, so mesmerizing…They'd laugh at him. Oh how they'd _laugh_ , laugh at the former King of Games like they'd laughed at Seto. He _knew_ they laughed at him, he _knew_ that behind their eyes they sneered, thinking he could never defeat the King of Games, that he was wasting his time, that he was a fool for trying…

"I AM _NOT_ A FOOL," he snarled, pacing his office with short, quick, fevered steps. He would show them. He'd make him _crawl._ He'd make him _writhe_ in pain, make him _suffer_. Tomorrow was just the beginning.

He stopped. There was no way he'd be able to sleep now. He was too wound up, had too much energy. _His_ face still haunted his mind, the same face that had haunted his dreams for months, the face he wanted so badly to crush beneath his feet.

Well, he couldn't do that right now. But there was, of course, his honored guest below, who no doubt was trying to fall asleep himself. And that was unacceptable. No, no, no, if _he_ couldn't sleep, _Yugi_ couldn't sleep. Sleep was overrated, anyway.

He strolled out of his office, making his way down the stairs. _Oh, little Yugi…no sleeping now. The game is still in play, and it's my turn._

 


	5. A Darker Night than Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night deepens. Mokuba investigates.

Mokuba yawned as he got ready for bed. It had been a long day, though Yami's game had cheered him up considerably. It was much more complex than the original Capsule Monsters game, he'd discovered, which made it all the more fun to learn. _And Seto would like it, too…it's not just a kids' game,_ he thought, _I'll have to tell him about it tomorrow; he's sure to want to try it. And…_ he paused. _Maybe it'll get his mind off of beating Yami for a while._

Speaking of Seto, where was he? Mokuba hadn't heard him go to bed. He peeked out his door. The door to Seto's room, just across the hall, lay ajar, which meant his brother was not there. _Odd,_ he thought, _It's after midnight._ Curious as to what could be keeping his brother up late on a Friday night, he crept out of his room and made his way downstairs.

As he entered the hallway that led to Seto's office, he heard a strange sound. Creeping to a shadowed area near the door, he listened.

His brother was laughing. Laughing! That in and of itself was an incredibly strange phenomenon; his brother never laughed. But it sounded…wrong. It was high-pitched and almost hysterical, like a crazy person in a bad movie.

Finally, it stopped. Mokuba strained to listen, but the doors were made of thick wood and blocked out most of the sound within. Suddenly, he heard movement, and thinking his brother was going to come out, he ran softly down the hallway and ducked into an empty room that was sometimes used as a party room. He crouched by the door, looking towards his brother's office, and waited.

Nothing happened for a good few minutes. Then, just as Mokuba was starting to nod off, the doors opened. Seto stepped out, but instead of heading towards the staircase, he turned and went to a door in the opposite hall. Opening it, he went down a flight of stairs and disappeared from view.

Mokuba was perplexed. _What could Seto want in the basement?_ he thought _. His secret computer lab is still down there, but he hasn't used it in years…he hasn't needed to; his office's computer is so powerful, and no one's trying to kill him anymore._ When his brother didn't immediately emerge, his curiosity got the better of him. Softly, expecting his brother to emerge any minute and yell at him for sneaking out of bed, he snuck to the door that led to the lower levels.

All quiet. He crept slowly down the stairs, taking care to tread softly so as not to cause any creaking. Nothing seemed to be happening on the first level…what could possibly be on the lowest level of the basement that was so important? There were old closets that stored things for their stepfather, when he lived, some of which had high security locks. But that was all. He turned, creeping down the next staircase…and stopped.

There were lights on in the hallway down there. And muffled sounds. He crept down further, slowly, stopping halfway down. Seto wasn't in the hallway, but a door about halfway down stood open. Mokuba frowned at the small monitor and keypad lock on the wall, puzzled.

Then a cry startled him, making him nearly lose his balance. He was too far away to see what was going on in there, but he had a feeling that it wasn't good. A thump, another cry. Muffled voices. He recognized his brother's, but couldn't make out words. 

He ached to know what was going on. He inched down another step. More thumping. More voices, louder this time. Seto was demanding something. Then…

"YOU INSUFFERABLE LITTLE _SHIT_ ," his brother thundered. Mokuba had to cover his mouth with his hand to stifle the gasp of shock that would have given him away. Since when did his brother speak like that? And gods, to _whom_? "DO YOU THINK I'M PLAYING GAMES HERE? DO YOU?!" A heart-wrenching shriek pierced the darkness.

 _Oh gods, no,_ Mokuba thought, comprehension dawning. He felt sick with horror. _Oh no, oh gods…he's torturing someone. Oh gods, Big Brother, why?_

He wanted to run and hide. He wanted to run into that room and shake his brother and demand to know what was going on. He wanted to vomit. But he stayed where he was. He had to know…he had to know who was in that room with Seto.

"ANSWER MY FUCKING QUESTION," his older brother screamed. "WHAT'S HIS WEAKNESS? HOW DO YOU BEAT THAT FUCKING BASTARD?"

And Mokuba heard a very familiar voice scream in reply. "HE'S THE _KING OF GAMES_. YOU'LL NEVER BEAT HIM, KAIBA. NEVER! _NEVER!"_

Seto roared in frustration and rage and there was a sickening thud. Mokuba had heard enough. Hyperventilating, half crying, he turned and fled, running up the stairs as fast as he could. Terror blinded him; he could barely see where he was going, and he imagined that his brother was on his tail, chasing him, wanting to throw _him_ into that little room for sneaking up on him…

He flew into his room and shut the door. Shaking, shivering violently in horror, he locked the door and slid down to the floor, gasping for breath and listening, listening…listening...

It was quiet. He hadn't been discovered. Mokuba began to cry, terrified sobs that shook his entire body.

Yugi. Yugi was down there, Yugi was being held prisoner and Seto…oh gods, Seto was _hurting_ him, torturing him, trying to find out how to beat his other half.

And he'd left him there. With Seto. He felt sick. His brother was insane. He HAD to be insane. He'd become so obsessed with beating Yami that he'd lost his mind.

Yami. Oh gods in heaven, Yami didn't know. Yugi was trapped in his basement and no one knew but him. And Seto. Oh gods.

He had to do something. Now. Where was his cell phone? He crawled over to his bed, standing shakily, frantically searching his pockets for his phone. _There!_ He yanked it out of his jeans' pocket, flipping it open and dialing the Game Shop with trembling hands.

It rang once. _Come on, Yami, pick up,_ Mokuba thought desperately. It rang again. _You've gotta pick up, you've just GOT to pick up!_

A third ring. Then a click. "H…hello?"

"Yami, i-it's Mokuba, i-is that you?" It was hard keeping his voice steady. He had to stop crying. _Come on, Mokuba, calm down_ , he told himself.

"…Yes, it's me. What do you want?" He didn't sound happy. Mokuba's breath caught in his throat and he let out a choked sob before he could stop himself. "Mokuba?" His voice changed; he sounded concerned. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"S-seto. Oh gods, h-he…" Mokuba drew in a shuddering breath. "Y-yami, he, he's got Yugi, d-down in the b-basement and, and he's _hurting_ him, I'm so sorry I g-got so s-scared, I couldn't d-do anything, he-."

Yami cut him off. "Mokuba, calm down. Please." _Calm down?! Calm DOWN? Didn't he— "_ Start at the beginning. Keep breathing, okay? It's going to be all right."

Mokuba took a deep breath. He reached up to his night table, grabbed a tissue and blew his nose. Then he told Yami everything, from when he saw Seto leave his office up until he'd fled to his room. "I…I'm so sorry, Yami, I should've done something, but he…Yami, you should've heard him, I've never heard him speak that way…he's lost his mind, he's insane…" he trailed off, hoping Yami would forgive him.

Yami sighed. "Mokuba, from what you've just described, I think your brother would have hurt you had you tried to help Yugi. It…" his voice broke a bit. "It's probably better that you didn't. Anyway…I already know that he's holding Yugi prisoner."

Mokuba was shocked. "You…you do?"

"Yes. Kaiba…well, he told me himself."

"WHAT? He did? But…" _He wants information from Yugi…why would he tell Yami when Yugi hasn't done what he asked?_

"He wants me to come to your place tomorrow at 4. He hasn't told me what he wants, just that we'd 'discuss' it and that 'maybe' he'd release Yugi. Depending on what _I_ said." Yami sounded sad and angry.

"He w-wants to b-beat you," Mokuba stammered. "He…he's obsessed with it. But…but Yugi wasn't telling him anything…maybe he expects Yugi to…to b-break down before you get there?" He wouldn't think about what his brother might do to someone who refused to give him what he wanted. He couldn't.

Yami was quiet on the other end. "Dear Ra," he finally whispered. "Why does he always get hurt on my account?"

Mokuba wasn't quite sure what he'd heard. "Y-Yami?"

Yami's breath caught. "I…thank you, Mokuba…thank you for telling me about this." He paused. "Is there…any way for you to help Yugi? Any way at all?"

Mokuba swallowed. "The door only opens with a passcode. The only person who knows those codes is Seto…I can try to sneak onto his computer and see if they're there…"

"Please…only if you know you won't get caught. If you can…try to care for him? Until I get there?" He'd never heard Yami sound so upset or unsure; it was heartbreaking.

"I'll do my best. I promise."

"Thank you." He paused. "Mokuba, can you do something else for me?"

He felt so bad for the former spirit. "Anything."

"Stay out of the house tomorrow. I don't know what's going to happen, but I don't want you to get hurt, too."

"Okay…" He wasn't going to argue. He wanted to be as far away from his brother as possible. "Yami? Um…be careful, okay? Seto's…dangerous."

"I will do _whatever it takes_ to get my partner back safe and sound, Mokuba. If that involves putting myself in harm's way, so be it. He has suffered too much already." The old determination was back, along with the anger. "Good night."

"…Night." Mokuba got up and placed his phone on his nightstand. Once he heard his brother go to bed, he'd sneak into his office and search for the code for the keypad. He couldn't leave Yugi down there without doing his best to help.

He sat on his bed and waited. He just hoped Yugi would be okay.


	6. Terms and Conditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yami confronts Kaiba and receives his demands.

Yami sat on the couch, staring at the table in front of him but seeing nothing. He had no idea what time it was. He didn't care. All he could think about was Yugi. Yugi, held prisoner in the bowels of Kaiba Mansion, being tortured for information. On _him._ The guilt ate away at him, rising in his throat like bile.

He'd promised to protect him. More than once. To himself and to Yugi, he'd sworn he would protect him. And now Yugi was getting hurt. Again. Because of him. _Again_. And he could do nothing but wait until it was time to go to Kaiba's and give him whatever the hell it was that he wanted so he'd release Yugi. And then, somehow, he would take that bastard _down_ for hurting his other half.

"Yami?" He'd forgotten Joey was still there. The blond sat next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder that he barely felt. "Yami…snap out of it, man. You need to rest. It's almost 2 AM."

Yami felt his throat constrict as he tried to answer his friend. "I…" he swallowed. "I can't rest. I can't. Not while Yugi…" he trailed off. Mokuba hadn't gone into specifics, but the poor boy had been so upset during his call that Yami could easily guess what kind of treatment Yugi was receiving.

"I know, dude. But there's nothing you can do about it right now—."

"That's just _it_ ," Yami snapped. He took a breath, his hands clenching handfuls of his own hair. "Yugi's trapped in that monster's basement being _tortured_. Because of _me._ And I can't do anything. Ra, if the Puzzle only kept our connection…the least I could do is comfort him, but I can't even do _that._ I just have to sit here until 4 PM and hope that he knows I'm coming." His voice broke. Unless Mokuba performed a miracle and got him out. But knowing Kaiba, access to the code he needed was probably restricted to Kaiba himself and no other.

"Yami…" Joey trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"I swore to protect him." His breath hitched. There was a burning sensation in his throat that swallowing didn't help. "I swore that I'd be there for him no matter what. And here we are…him getting hurt, and it's my fault. _Again_ it's my fault."

"Aw c'mon, what happened to the murderous rampage of just a couple of hours ago?" Joey said, in an obvious attempt to cheer him up. "You were ready to tear the mansion apart brick by brick!"

"I still want to." Nothing but the truth. Guilt for being responsible for Yugi's predicament and a furious desire to tear the elder Kaiba apart with his bare hands were warring inside of him. So far, guilt was winning.

Joey noticed his still-despondent look. "Yami," he said sternly. "Snap out of it. Don't get like this again." He shook his shoulder rather forcefully. Yami looked at him. "Look, man, I know how you feel. My best friend got kidnapped right under my nose. If I was a faster runner, I'da been there, but I wasn't. It sucks that we're stuck here, but at least we can do somethin'  _soon._ " He gave Yami a reassuring smile. "And look…I'm worried sick about Yug being in the hands of that creep, too, but I also know my best friend. He's faced a lot worse than a maniac with a creepy love for violence, and he's pulled through every time. Actually…he HAS faced a maniac with a creepy love of violence. And girly robes and a fetish for mind control."

Yami chuckled in spite of himself at Joey's description of Marik's dark half. Leave it to Joey to find something positive in this. His expression turned serious as he contemplated the following day. "What do you suppose he wants from me?"

Joey's expression turned sober. "No idea, Yami. If it were normal, asshole Kaiba we were dealing with, I'd say he wanted another duel. But insane, psychopath Kaiba is a whole new ballgame."

"He _can't_ want a duel, though," Yami mused aloud. "I've beaten him every time, and the second I start easing up on him, he notices and tells me to step back up." He frowned. "The God Cards, perhaps? Though they won't help him much…Yugi showed us all that they're not unbeatable."

"Yeah but the idea of Kaiba with the God Cards is not something I really wanna think about," Joey said wryly.

"True," Yami sighed. "I suppose I'll take my deck just in case. I _really_ wish I still had my Shadow powers," he added. "Here I have the perfect excuse to Mind Crush the asshole, and I can't do that anymore." He was only half-kidding, but Joey laughed anyway.

"C'mon, oh mighty King of Games. If you're gonna kick Kaiba's ass tomorrow, you need your beauty sleep."

Yami raised an eyebrow. "I highly doubt beauty has anything to do with it."

"Oh c'mon, Yami, you know what I mean!" The look on Joey's face made him chuckle once again.

"Yes, I do. But I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight." His anxiety for Yugi lay in the pit of his stomach, giving him a sick, queasy feeling. _I'm coming for you, aibou. Stay strong. Stay strong for me. I'm coming. And I swear Kaiba will pay for every bruise on your body._

"Me neither. But it never hurts to try, eh?"

* * *

Yami fidgeted nervously in the back of Kaiba's limo. He didn't like taking rides from his psychotic rival, but Kaiba had called at 3:30 saying that a car would pick him up, leaving no room for objections. _And it beats walking, anyway_ , he thought resignedly.

He stifled a yawn. He hadn't slept well. When not tossing and turning with worry, he'd slept fitfully, his head filled with nightmares.

Kaiba still hadn't told him what he wanted, which both puzzled and worried him. _What could he want that involves me actually being there? A trade? Yugi for the God Cards? Or…Yugi for me?_ The thought was not particularly cheering.

At least Mokuba was safe. The younger Kaiba had called him earlier that morning from a friend's house. He'd been unable to find the code for Yugi's door; failing that, he'd tried to hack into the security system, but it was too well protected. How he'd managed to do that without alerting his older brother was beyond Yami's comprehension, but at least he was out of danger… _at least for this afternoon,_ he sighed to himself.

Absently, he traced the small pouch that held his deck. It was heavier than usual; Joey had insisted he take his Swiss Army Knife with him and tuck it somewhere safe.

" _Look, man, I don't trust Kaiba as far as I could throw him," he'd said firmly. "The last thing I want is for you to get stuck in a situation where you can't defend yourself. Take it, all right?"_

_It certainly is a handy little thing_ , Yami thought. He'd been impressed when Joey had unfolded it, showing him how it worked; it didn't look like it could hold so many tools, albeit tiny ones. _Hopefully, I won't have a reason to use it today. Hopefully, he'll keep his promise and I'll be able to take Yugi home, safe and sound._

The limo turned down a quiet boulevard and Yami spotted the Kaiba mansion at the far end. _This is it_ , he thought. _Time to pull yourself together._ He closed his eyes and breathed slowly, beginning to relax. He needed to be on his guard, but he couldn't walk in looking like a nervous wreck. That would start Kaiba off with a larger advantage than what he already had.

He had to think of this as a game. A duel. How many times had he dueled with the weight of the world on his shoulders? And he'd pulled through every one of them. Narrowly, yes, but he'd pulled through. And now would be no different. Yugi was everything to him…he would fight for him until his last breath.

The anxiety receded. His features, once worried and careworn, were smoothed into a determined frown. The limo stopped. _Game time_ , he thought grimly. He stepped out and started up the walkway.

_I'm coming, Yugi. I'll get you out of there, no matter what. I promise._

* * *

Seto reclined on one of the couches in the sitting room. _Any minute now,_ he thought gleefully. _He'll be here any minute now, here to continue our little game. MY little game._

He'd locked Yugi in a presently unused room down the hall near his office. If he had to use the shrimp for persuasion, he wanted him close at hand. No sense in having to run all the way down to the basement.

Not that Yugi needed to be locked anywhere at this point. The neutral expression on Seto's face became a twisted grin as he remembered the previous evening. _Oh, little Yugi …you thought this was all a game, didn't you, you thought you could stand up to me…but last night's lesson fixed that, yes? We've learned our lesson now, yes, yes, we have…_ The midget could barely lift his head that morning, and had barely managed to request water when Seto had questioned him again.

Seto snorted. _Water._ _Pathetic shrimp._ But he couldn't complain now. Seto had been generous. More than generous. Though he'd probably have to get someone to mop the floor in that closet. Perhaps generosity was overrated.

_He deserved it,_ he sneered to himself. _He deserved it after the shit he tried to throw at me._ No one could get away with insulting him. No one. Not the pharaoh, and not his precious midget. Yugi had learned _that_ last night, too. His lip curled, the insults and defiance coming back to him. He still hadn't given Seto the key to Yami's defeat, but Seto didn't care. Either way, he'd found a weakness. And now Yami was on his way, playing right into his hands, playing his little game without even knowing he was doing it…

"Sir?" Seto looked up, surprised, his train of thought destroyed.

"Roland. Is he here?"

"Yes, sir. He's on his way up now."

Seto merely nodded, rising from his comfortable position and schooling his features into careful neutrality. Inside, however, excitement danced. Excitement and anger and purpose and that feeling of power, that glorious feeling of power…

The door opened. There he stood, looking as stoic and confident as ever. Gods, how he hated him. Seto managed to summon a smirk. _Play the game. Play my little game,_ he thought, calm returning. "Welcome to my castle, King of Games," he made a grand sweeping gesture. "Can I offer you something to drink?"

Yami glowered at him, humorless as usual. "Cut the crap, Kaiba. Where is Yugi? What do you want from me?"

_Everything, you arrogant bastard. Everything and everything and EVERYTHING_. "What, no pleasantries? Such bad manners, _pharaoh_. At least sit down," he gestured to one of the couches.

Yami was unperturbed. "I'll stand, thank you."

_Oh, but you'll need to sit once you hear what I want from you. You'll NEED a bit of comfort after I take what is mine...mine, mine, MINE…_ Seto shook his head. He had to remain composed for this, had to match his rival stare for stare. "Oh, very well," he said, maintaining his smirk. "Yugi is…close by. To see him, you'll have to agree to my requests. _All_ of them," he added, narrowing his eyes at his rival threateningly.

Yami glared right back. "And what are these _requests_?" he spat out.

Seto was filled with glee, imagining the look on his face. _This is it!_ "First, you are to relinquish your title, King of Games, to me. You are not to try to win it back." Yami blinked. _Not what you thought, eh, pharaoh? Didn't think I'd be going for the top prize, did you?_ "Second…" he paused, his smirk becoming twisted. "You and I will hold a press conference tomorrow morning, bright and early, announcing this fact." _And that will shut you down for GOOD,_ he snarled mentally, imagining the jeers he hoped would be thrown at the spiky-haired _King of Games_ when they found out he'd finally been beaten. "The official story, of course, will be that I beat you in a duel. And you'll _stick_ to it. You will come to my office half an hour before the appointed time to go over the exact details, and you will have them memorized backwards and forwards for the question-and-answer session afterward."

Yami didn't move. _He's shocked,_ Seto thought triumphantly. _He MUST be. Shocked that he didn't see this coming, that he'll be thrown down once and for all, that I'LL be the one on top, on top for GOOD. And he'll NEVER BRING ME DOWN AGAIN!_

Then, he spoke. "Is that all?" Seto's thoughts came to a shuddering halt. _What does he mean, "Is that all?" I'm taking his pride and glory AWAY from him!_ He paused. _Sarcasm. That has to be it. He's trying to throw me off._

Seto shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Yes, _Yami_. That is… _all_. Quite reasonable, don't you think?"

Yami cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yes. Quite reasonable." Seto opened his mouth to sneer at him, but Yami forestalled him with an upraised hand. "Very well. I accept."

" _What?_ " The word was out of his mouth before he could stop it. _How could he accept so quickly? Doesn't he know what he's giving up? Doesn't he know that he's supposed to be HUMILIATED?_

"Are you having trouble with your hearing? I said, I accept." Yami glared at him in a mix of annoyance and puzzlement. "I relinquish my title, King of Games, to you, and I vow I will never attempt to gain it back from you. And I will be at your office tomorrow morning, whatever time you'd like, to give this…press conference of yours." He crossed his arms. "Does that satisfy you?"

Seto was torn between elation and extreme annoyance. He'd expected the King of Games to put up a fight! Surely he wouldn't agree to so much without a second thought! However…Seto had won. He'd _won!_ The King of Games was the King of Games _no longer!_ That was _him_ , now, _himself!_

"…Yes. It… _satisfies_ me," Seto leered at the _ex-_ King of Games. "Why don't you have a seat and savor your defeat while I retrieve your little counterpart, hm?"

Yami moved aside as Seto strode towards the doors. _Good. Soon you'll be doing nothing but that…standing aside for ME._

* * *

Yami stared at the door as it closed behind Seto – the new King of Games – utterly perplexed.

_He wants my title and a public confirmation…and that's it?_ He frowned. _No God Cards, no physical threat, no duel…just my title?_

The press conference was clearly Seto's idea of humiliating him, forcing him to concede to him in public. _But you can't humiliate someone who isn't truly beaten, Kaiba_ , he thought. _I'm proud of being the King of Games, yes, but I would happily hand the title over if someone were to defeat me honorably. Actually,_ he thought with a wry smirk, _Technically, you've only got half a title for yourself. Yugi and I share it. He beat me that day, or have you forgotten? I've defeated him since then, yes, but in the duel that decided our fate, he won._

He decided not to enlighten the lanky CEO on that particular fact. Yugi had already suffered too much at his hands. Which brought him back to his puzzlement over Seto's idea of a deal. The title didn't mean much to him, really. _Does he think it's so important to me that I'd risk Yugi to keep it?_ He crossed over to one of Seto's couches, leaning on the side. _Maybe titles and public glory are important to you, Kaiba,_ he mused, _but you really don't know me at all if you think this was a hard decision._

The door handle turned. Yami straightened, apprehension and hope that his partner was all right flooding his mind. Seto entered, smirking nastily, dragging someone by the collar. Someone small, with spiky hair…

" _Yugi!_ " Yami cried, horror-struck.

He looked _terrible._ Bruises covered his face, the only exposed skin that Yami could see. His nose dripped blood sluggishly, his clothes were filthy and torn, his arms bound behind his back. He could scarcely walk, his steps uneven and shaky; it seemed as though he was only half-conscious. On Yami's cry, however, his head raised and pain-filled amethyst eyes met Yami's own.

Seto tossed him forward and Yami reacted instinctively, diving to catch him before he hit the ground. _He's so cold…gods, he's so cold…_ Yami knelt on the floor, wrapping his arms around his other half, hugging him as tightly as he dared. "Yugi…Yugi, I'm sorry…I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"Y-yami," a soft, hoarse whisper answered that barely reached his ears. "You…you're here…" His head rested on Yami's shoulder, and Yami could feel small drops of wetness leak through his jacket.

"Of course I am, aibou," his throat and eyes were burning, but he couldn't cry. Not now. His eyes dropped to Yugi's bound wrists and he shifted, reaching into his pouch for Joey's knife. _Dear Ra, Joey, you're a life-saver,_ he thought fervently. He flicked up the knife and carefully sliced through the thick twine, making sure to keep the point well away from his partner's skin. "You're safe, now. I promise." Yugi's arms fell to each side when he finished. He returned the tool to his pouch and rubbed one arm gently, knowing it was probably cramped from being forced into one position for so long.

"You know, it's rude to dirty your host's carpet without a second thought," Seto's cold, amused voice cut through his thoughts. Yami instinctively tightened his grip on his other half, instantly feeling guilty when Yugi hissed in pain. Carefully, he shifted his arms so that they cradled his partner, and stood.

"Kaiba," he growled, glaring daggers at the man responsible for his aibou's condition. "I will do what it is you want me to do. But you lay _one fucking finger_ on Yugi _ever again_ , and all bets are off. I will make you pay _dearly_ for what you've done."

Seto laughed, and Yami was deeply disturbed at the maniacal undertone that came through. It truly sounded like he was going insane. "Oh, my dear pharaoh, once again you go making threats when you have no power to do so." Yami willed himself not to snarl at the taller man. "But don't worry. Your pathetic little counterpart is _safe_ , as promised."

"Yugi," Yami growled, fury coursing through his veins, "is _ten times_ the man you are, and _much_ worthier of the title you wanted so badly." He felt Yugi move one of his arms, encircling his neck in silent gratitude. "Now, if you'll _excuse_ us, we need to get home."

"Of course," Seto sneered, holding the door open in a mockery of respect. "You'll find the car waiting for you outside. Let no one say that the new King of Games is not _generous._ "

"Kiss my ass," Yami spat back, marching angrily out of the sitting room and towards the front door, taking care not to jostle his partner.

"Oh no, my dear pharaoh," Seto called mockingly. "Now it's your turn to kiss _mine._ "

Yami stopped. Without turning, he said, putting all the venom he could muster into his words, "You'll regret this, Kaiba. Mark my words, _you will regret this._ " And without another word, he strode to the car that was, indeed, waiting for him just outside the front door, climbed in, and settled in for the short drive home.

_I'll play your game tomorrow, Kaiba. But not the way you want. You should know by now that I don't take well to people harming people I care about. You've stepped way over the line this time…and you will live to regret it. I promise._

 


	7. The Undefeated King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The public announcement.

Yami helped his other half into bed, gently easing him under the covers. Clean and warm, with his help, Yugi looked a lot less miserable than he had in the Kaiba mansion. His injuries were mostly bruises – countless numbers of them, all nasty-looking – plus a sprained ankle and a few nasty bumps on his head; Yami had gotten a good look at them all when helping him bathe. He couldn't do anything except wrap the swollen ankle, which frustrated him; Yugi would have to stay in bed for a couple of days until his body healed. At least it wasn't anything life-threatening.

Yugi's head settled back onto the pillows, tired amethyst eyes meeting Yami's own red-violet. Yami smiled softly, sitting at his side and brushing aside the bright yellow bangs, so like his own, that fell across his partner's face. "Feel better?" he asked.

"Much," Yugi smiled. "Thank you, Yami."

"It was the least I could do, considering…" he frowned slightly, guilt rearing its ugly head within him.

Yugi caught his look and sighed. "Please, Yami, don't blame yourself for this."

"How can I not? Every time you get hurt, it's because of me." Yami closed his eyes, ashamed of himself. Some protector he'd turned out to be.

To his surprise, Yugi snorted. He looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "You can't control the world, my other half," he said gently. "It's not your fault that Kaiba's gone completely crazy. Besides," his tone turned carefully neutral, "I wouldn't look like this if I'd given him what he wanted."

Yami swallowed. "Which was…?"

"Information on how to beat you." Yugi shrugged. Yami sighed. _It figures. What else?_ "Your weaknesses, your strengths." He paused, looking into Yami's eyes, his tone becoming soft. "I didn't tell him anything. Not one thing, outside that you're the King of Games and he'd never defeat you." He smiled. "I'd never betray you like that, my other self."

Warmth spread through Yami, and he took his partner's hand. "I know you wouldn't. Though, you can't use that argument anymore. I'm no longer the King of Games." It felt very strange to say that. He'd been the King of Games for how long? Ages, now.

Yugi stared, mouth agape. "What? You mean he actually defeated you? Dear Ra, Yami, why didn't you-?"

Yami cut him off. "He didn't defeat me in a duel, Yugi." He smiled sadly at him. "For all his interrogation, he knew he had already found a weakness of mine," he gestured at Yugi's bruises. "I won't stand to see you hurt on my account. I," he placed his other hand on top of Yugi's, "will not betray _you_ , either."

Yugi's expression showed a mix of gratitude and puzzlement. "But, then…how…?" he trailed off, tilting his head to one side.

Yami shrugged. "I relinquished my title to him. And I am not to challenge him to win it back. Kaiba also wants me to hold a press conference with him tomorrow morning to publicize it, no doubt because he wants me publicly humiliated." He smirked, feeling slightly amused. "Too bad he can't humiliate someone who isn't truly defeated."

"And it's not like you've never dealt with press before...So wait, he wanted you to give up your title and publicly announce it…and that's all? In exchange for _me_?" Yugi's expression made Yami grin in amusement. He knew Yugi would take it like this. "I'm not sure whether to be insulted or just plain _confused_."

Yami laughed. "Obviously, it's a huge deal to him, aibou."

"Yeah, but not to _you!_ Or me, for that matter. You'd think Kaiba would know that by now."

Yami had thought the same thing, but today's events had proven him wrong…and showed him just how dangerous his rival had become. "Kaiba's lost his mind, Yugi…"

"Yeah, I gathered that," Yugi muttered, glowering at the sheets in front of him.

"…he's clearly got a different idea of what's important now. For the record, though," Yami's expression turned solemn, "I would've given him _anything_ in return for you. Anything," he emphasized when Yugi looked back up at him. "I had no idea what he wanted, but even if it meant giving myself up, I was fully prepared to do so." Yugi was quiet, staring up at him, eyes misting over. Yami blushed slightly; Yugi knew how much he meant to him, but he didn't often say it aloud. "You are _everything_ to me, aibou," he whispered. _"Everything._ "

Yugi smiled, sniffling a bit, and he reached his free arm up towards his other half. Yami complied with the unspoken request and lay down next to Yugi, wrapping him in his arms. "You're everything to me, too," Yugi whispered softly, kissing him lightly on the nose. "My other half."

Yami felt the burning in his eyes again. This time, he didn't care. "Aibou…you've always meant the world to me. Didn't you know?"

"Of course I did," his other half whispered. "But after yesterday…it…it means a lot to hear you say it."

Yami felt himself relax, contented to stay where he was. As he drifted off to sleep, his last thought was that he'd have to remember to say it out loud more often.

* * *

"Now, you're _sure_ you've got everything down?" Seto sneered, sitting back in his office chair, thoroughly enjoying the irritated look on his rival's face.

"I have just repeated it all verbatim to you for the third time, have I not?" Yami glowered at him across the desk, arms crossed. "I'll hand it to you, though, at least you came up with a _plausible_ strategy to win." He smirked. "It would be sad indeed if your story fell through because _you_ couldn't come up with one that was _good enough_."

 _Oooh, so you're not going to come quietly today, my dear pharaoh? Such a shame, such a shame…especially when the hounds outside start barking and laughing at you…you won't be so arrogant THEN, oh no, oh no, we'll see who'll leave this standing tall._ Seto glared at him. "I didn't get this far by being _stupid_ , you arrogant bastard," he growled. "I've dueled you enough times to know your deck inside and out. Don't think that a little thing like _creative thinking_ could cause me trouble." _Heh…standing TALL. He can't stand tall ANYWAY, the little shrimp._ "And by the way," he smiled silkily at the spiky-haired duelist. "How's your precious counterpart doing?"

Yami suddenly looked furious, and Seto snickered. A low blow, but the former King of Games had to remember just _who_ was in charge. He couldn't let him start acting like he still owned the world. "Remember, you're on _my_ turf, playing _my_ game by _my_ rules. You're not king of _anything_ anymore, so I suggest you start acting a little more… _humble_ , shall we say."

Yami opened his mouth to retort, when the door behind him opened. Seto watched the former King of Games school his features into his usual serious-neutral expression as his secretary stepped in. "Mr. Kaiba, sir? It's time to go down."

Seto stood and moved toward the door. Yami rose as well, getting to the door at the same time as he did. Seto glared and raised an eyebrow. Rolling his eyes, Yami allowed him to go first. _That's right, my dear pharaoh, you'll be two steps behind me from now on. Get used to it._

* * *

The crowd of reporters had gathered on the steps of the KaibaCorp building, just as he'd planned. It was quite large; almost every major newspaper in the city had sent a journalist or two to hear the news. It was no doubt surprising that the King of Games – he failed to suppress a snort – and the CEO of KaibaCorp, long known to be rivals, were making a joint statement. He hadn't told them what it was about; he'd counted on their names to draw the crowd. _Looks like I've succeeded, once again,_ he thought in smug satisfaction. _My dear pharaoh, welcome to round two of my little game, my dark little game that will have you sweating and squirming for all the world to see._

He paused before the glass doors that led outside, glancing back at the spiky-haired bastard who'd so long been on top, who'd haunted his dreams and his mind for the past few months…and who would _finally_ be pulled off his pedestal for good _today._ He didn't look worried. He had his game face on…good. Hopefully that was hiding nerves, hopefully his nerve would crumble under the barrage of questions that he would no doubt have a hard time handling, hopefully he'd be exposed as weak and humbled before the crowd's very eyes, while he, Seto Kaiba, would remain calm, calm and cool and calm as always…like ice, he was, calm and cool…

He pushed open the doors. _Game on,_ he smirked to himself.

The crowd quieted immediately when they saw the two duelists emerge. Seto risked another glance at his now-former rival as he made his way to the small podium. He looked a bit uncomfortable under the lights and camera flashes. Good. And now… _I shall make the first move. Surprise, surprise…_

He stepped to the side, turning towards Yami and motioning for him to come forward, inviting him to speak first. He noted with glee that the former King of Games could not mask his look of surprise. _Did you really think I'd announce your defeat for you, my dear pharaoh? Oh no, oh no…so much better if you do so yourself, so much better…it makes the humiliation SO much more enjoyable…_

Taking a breath, Yami stepped up to the podium. He wasn't prepared. Surely he would falter, surely, surely he would lose his nerve…

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his deep baritone smooth and assured. "I'm sure you're all curious as to why my…esteemed rival called this conference today.

"For the last few years, he and I have been engaged in dueling tournaments that placed both of us at the top. I, as you know, have continuously bested him; however, he has always been a worthy challenge." Yami turned his head to look at Seto, the challenge in his eyes making him irritated. _Just get on with it already_ , he thought, keeping his features neutral and merely nodding in reply. "Well, yesterday changed everything. It is now my duty to inform you all that I am no longer the King of Games." Gasps from the crowd interrupted him. "Yes, that's right. Seto Kaiba has defeated me and I proudly and _honorably_ "–here he looked askance at Seto, who merely smiled—"hand the title I have borne for so long to him. And I will not be seeking to gain it back."

Seto stepped up amidst the flurry of shocked chatter that buzzed through the crowd. "We have agreed," he declared, "to set aside our old rivalry now that it has been proven once and for all _who_ is on top. For years, I have tried to prove that the King of Games is not unbeatable, and finally I have succeeded! And now…here we stand. I am the new King of Games. Yami is now second to _me_. Though of course, he remains," Seto sneered slightly, "a _worthy challenge_." He continued to outline the points of the duel they'd rehearsed, sketching the strategy he'd worked out on his simulator the night before. When he'd finished, he smiled at the crowd. "We will now take your questions." He reached into the podium and pulled out a mic for Yami, who took it and stood to the left of the podium.

The reaction was instantaneous. Immediately, the reporters began shouting, jostling forward as Seto had known they would. Yami looked surprised at the commotion. Seto smirked and pointed to a young woman near the front. "You there, go ahead." The journalists quieted.

"Yami, in all your years of dueling, you've gone virtually undefeated and Mr. Kaiba has never defeated you. What changed?"

A look of amusement flickered across his face and was replaced by his usual stoic expression. "You could say that Kaiba finally found my weakness," he said, shooting a thinly disguised glare at the brunet. _Indeed,_ he thought nastily. _And you're FINISHED because of it._

The same woman spoke again. "And what is that?"

Yami laughed, appearing to relax. "Now what fun is there in telling you that?" he said amiably, smiling to show his humor. "It took Kaiba years to figure me out; it'd be highly unfair if everyone else knew, too. Though I can tell you that he hasn't learned _everything_." Appreciative laughs from the crowd. Seto frowned. They should be laughing _at_ him, not _with_ him!

Yami began to take charge. He called on another journalist to his left.

"Why won't you be challenging Mr. Kaiba to win back your title?"

"Well, it wouldn't be nice if he only wore it for a day or so," Yami smirked. More laughter. This wasn't going the way Seto wanted it at all. "Kaiba and I… _discussed_ things yesterday," he raised his eyebrow slightly and glanced at Seto, "and in the end, well…I found I _couldn't refuse_ his request _,_ " _Couldn't refuse, indeed, pharaoh…I DO wonder why…_ Seto had to keep himself from snickering.

"Kaiba, what will you do now that you've finally won?"

Happy to have the spotlight, Seto replied dryly, "Sit back and relax." Some laughter. Good, so not all the reporters were enamored with the pint-sized bastard next to him. "I'll keep running KaibaCorp as usual. But I am more than willing to accept any challenges for my title. It's only fair, after all."

"And I, of course, am happy to answer any challenges as well," Yami added. "Just because Kaiba has beaten me doesn't mean that I'm done dueling forever. Just done dueling _him_."

"That was my next question!" someone shouted, and Yami favored him with an apologetic smile. Seto was greatly annoyed that the attention was once again diverted to his rival.

"My apologies, sir," he said. "Next question?"

"What exactly were the terms of this duel?"

Seto jumped in. This was the opportunity he'd been hoping for, to further pull his rival down. "Well, apart from the obvious – the King of Games title – we agreed that the loser would not challenge the winner for the title afterward. Friendly duels, of course, would be just fine." Let the almighty pharaoh chew on _that_ one. "And also…we each put up a rare card or two. Which reminds me," he turned to Yami, a nasty smirk on his face, "You owe me a couple of God Cards, _my friend_."

Yami's face wore a furious expression for a split second before changing to mild surprise. Seto crowed with victory internally, seeing his free hand clench into an angry fist. _That's it, pharaoh, lose control…try to deny me in front of the entire world!_ The crowd quieted, sensing that this was an unexpected development, watching Yami's reaction closely. Finally, the violet-eyed duelist spoke. "Ah, yes, so I do." He reached into the small pouch he carried his deck in and pulled out three cards. "Good thing I always bring my deck with me; I nearly _forgot_. My three most powerful cards," he drew out the three God Cards and presented them to Seto with a sardonic smile. "Take good care of them. They have certainly served _me_ well."

Disappointed, Seto took them, matching Yami's smile as he pocketed them. "I'll take _excellent_ care of them, don't you worry."

After a moment of quiet murmuring, a tall reporter near Seto called out, "After so many years of not beating you, Mr. Motou, do you think that Mr. Kaiba's victory is a sign that you've lost your touch?" _Finally_ , the question he'd been waiting for! Hopefully, the tide would turn against him; reporters could be quite fickle in their opinions.

Yami considered for a moment. "That is always a possibility," he said calmly. "I do not believe so, but it is possible. Once again, though, I welcome any challenges. Perhaps some new ones will keep me on my toes."

A shout from the back of the crowd. "You're taking this awfully well, Mr. Mutou. Does defeat not phase you at all?"

Yami's smile belied the sudden intensity of his gaze. "Yes and no. I've been proud to be the King of Games for so long, so it was quite shocking to lose that title. However, it has always been the _fun_ of dueling that keeps me in the game, not a need to stay on top. If someone defeated me honorably, I would be happy to hand him or her the proverbial crown. Also," he glanced at Seto again, "I have friends and family who support me no matter what, and they are worth much more to me than a gaming title. If it came to it," he now looked directly at him, "I would gladly give up my title, and even dueling _at all_ , for them."

Seto noticed a flurry of comments, sounding curious and appreciative, buzzing near him, and it made him annoyed and angry. Not only was Yami standing smack in the virtual spotlight, he seemed as though he was just fine with it! And those _pathetic_ worms who called themselves journalists weren't tearing him apart at all. Where were the jeers, the tough questions designed to make him trip? Why did they not see that the King of Games was knocked off his throne into the common crowd? And why the _hell_ were they still acting as though the "proverbial crown" still rested on his head?

The question-and-answer session continued, with the majority of questions directed to the now-former King of Games. Yami fielded them all gracefully, to Seto's utter annoyance, though there were times when he'd say something or do something that got some reporters scribbling harder than usual…and it was usually to Seto's own disadvantage.

"Mr. Motou, where's your partner? Your protégé? Should he not be here to support you?"

Yami hesitated. "Yugi is…not well," he replied, narrowing his eyes at Seto, who glared back. _Do NOT blow my cover, you son of a bitch_ , he thought furiously. _I'll fucking kill you and your precious partner if you do._ He didn't notice that a few observant journalists had carefully watched the silent exchange and had noted it. "He's staying home today and resting, and should be back on his feet soon."

He was all politeness, all amiable charm, and it looked as though he wasn't even _trying_. Seto felt his anger growing, his desire to grab the other duelist by the hair and drag him to the ground where he belonged…no, no, he must stay focused, stay controlled…but it was so hard, so, so hard when _he_ was doing so well, when he was making a mockery of what Seto had been dreaming of for weeks. How often had reporters hounded _him_ , throwing uncomfortable question after question at him until he'd finally had enough and made them leave? But with that spiky-haired bastard, they were laid-back, asking _some_ tough questions but looking satisfied with their answers…and all the while, ignoring _him! HE_ was the King of Games now, this was HIS GAME, and that ridiculous-looking midget next to him was stealing his show, warping his field to suit his own needs, taking command of something he should have _no control_ over! He should be begging Seto to help him deal with the questions, not taking them all as though he'd been born to a life of public speaking! Seto burned, burned with hatred for the bastard next to him, burned with the desire to see him suffer…

He'd had enough. He would _not_ sit here and let Yami destroy his own game! He WOULD NOT let his precious game, his glorious game that had started out so well, be torn down by the very person it sought to destroy.

"All right," he said, trying to sound neutral. "I think we've had enough questions… _both_ of us," he couldn't resist adding, a reminder to the idiots standing before him that this was supposed to be _his_ victory parade. "Any follow-ups may be directed to the Game Shop for Mr. Motou or KaibaCorp for myself." He switched off the podium mic, and then took Yami's and did the same, placing it back inside the podium's shelf. Turning, he entered the KaibaCorp building once more, glancing back to make sure Yami followed him.

As soon as the doors closed behind them, Yami spoke. "That was _low_ , Kaiba," his voice was a low, angry growl. "If you'd wanted the God Cards, you should've asked me _yesterday_ , not in public. Good thing I had my deck with me just in case."

"Now, my dear _ex_ -King of Games, what fun would that have been? I do enjoy _keeping you on your toes…_ Are you saying you're not up for my challenges?"

Yami stopped and turned, facing him directly, allowing his anger to show. "No. I'm saying that you don't have a _shred_ of honor in your entire being."

"Oh dear. I'm hurt." His mind rang with his silent laughter. Oh yes, oh yes, he had everything now, everything and everything, and Yami could go to _hell_ with his ideas of honor for all he cared.

"Hm," Yami snorted as he turned and walked toward the back exit. After a few steps, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder. Seto raised an eyebrow at him, hoping to irritate him further. But Yami only smirked and said, "You may think you've won a victory today, Kaiba, but you couldn't be more wrong. I am _far_ from beaten." And he strode toward the back exit, chin held high…as though the last couple of days had never happened. The King of Games, proud, dignified and undefeated – and Seto realized, with a flash of pure hatred and clarity, that it was, in fact, completely true.


	8. Problems with the Press

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fallout from the press conference.

Joey yawned as he blearily filled his bowl with cereal. _Man, I wish my route didn't have to be so early_ , he thought grumpily. _Can't people read their papers at night?_ Normally, getting up for a 6:30 paper route wasn't so bad, but he'd slept badly for the past few nights…and had been unable to get back to sleep when he returned. And that irritated him. Staying up with Yami was one thing; the guy was beside himself worrying about Yugi – and so was he, to be honest. But for the past night or two, he only had himself to blame. Himself and his nerves and his stupid brain that wouldn't shut down.

That press conference was what was _really_ bugging him. Watching the live broadcast with Yugi, he'd been nervous. That _creep_ was only calling it so he could try and humiliate his best friend in public, and that was the last thing Joey wanted. Kaiba had already hurt Yugi badly enough; he didn't want to see both of them knocked down by that whacked-out asshole.

 _Heh,_ he thought, perking up a bit at the memory, _Should've known Yams would have somethin' up his sleeve. The guy handled the crowd like a pro!_ Kaiba's attempts to humiliate the former pharaoh had started at the very beginning, but Yami had thwarted him every time. Even… _even when that BASTARD took his God Cards,_ he thought angrily, his hand clenching into a fist. _Dammit, Yams, I know ya had to save face there, but KAIBA with the GOD CARDS…I'd have less of a problem if he wasn't completely PSYCHO._

He sighed, digging into his breakfast. _At least Yug is safe,_ he thought moodily. _For now, anyway…the normal Kaiba was an asshole but if he said he'd do something, he'd do it. THIS Kaiba is a whole new deal. He SAYS he's gonna leave Yug alone now, but I don't trust him as far as I could throw him…_

His thoughts were interrupted by the phone. _Aw MAN,_ he thought as he got up to answer it, annoyed, _If it's ANYONE but Yug, I'm gonna be PISSED…_

"Yello?"

"Am I speaking to Mr. Joey Wheeler?" a woman asked in a crisp voice.

Joey had no idea who she was, but decided to play it cool. "Yep. And who might this be? It's not every day a lady calls me so early."

The woman laughed a bit. "My name is Andrea Tyler. I'm a reporter for the Domino Times. Would you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"The Times, eh? I just finished a route for you guys," Joey frowned, considering. He had a gut feeling that he knew what she was going to ask about. "Sure, why not." He paused, looking at his watch. "I only got 10 minutes or so, though. That okay?"

"That should be fine for starters." _For starters?_ Joey swallowed. _This can't be good._ "I suppose I'll just get right to it, then. I assume you're aware of the unusual announcement that Yami Mutou made yesterday?"

 _Yep. Called it. Wait…YAMI's announcement?_ "Who hasn't? But that announcement was Kaiba's idea, not Yami's."

Immediately, he regretted his words. _Real effin' smart, Wheeler! For all YOU know, Yami still has to play Kaiba's twisted game! If Yug gets hurt again because of somethin' YOU said…_

"Kaiba's…idea? What do you mean by that?"

Joey mentally called himself ten kinds of idiot, then considered his next words carefully. _Better act like he's his normal arrogant self._ "Kaiba's ego's the size of the freakin' building he works in," he said, not bothering to hide his contempt. Everyone knew he hated the CEO anyway. "He's been tryin' to beat Yami for ages; of course he'd want to tell the world when he finally did it."

"You don't seem to like Mr. Kaiba too much," Andrea responded, sounding curious. _Okay, maybe not everyone._

"He and I ain't exactly best buds," he said dryly. "I'm sure you know our dueling history. I'd like him better if he wasn't an arrogant ass." _And if he wasn't a complete psycho beating on my best friends._

"That's right; you've dueled both Mr. Mutou and Mr. Kaiba, haven't you?"

"Yep, more than once. Lost to both of 'em every time, though," he shrugged.

"That doesn't bother you?" Now, why would she ask that?

Joey laughed. "Ms. Tyler, _everyone_ loses to those two. Besides, Yami's one of my best friends. I like dueling him even if I lose every time." _Because Yams doesn't make me feel like a freakin' idiot when I do. And hey, I actually did beat him once…wouldn't have my Red-Eyes back if I hadn't._

"I see…Tell me, Mr. Wheeler, did you actually see this duel that Mr. Kaiba won?"

 _Aw, man…figures she'd get straight to the point!_ "Nah, I was hanging out with Yug instead."

"Yugi Motou? Mr. Mutou's protégé?"

Joey wanted to snort. _Protégé…heh. Yug taught me Duel Monsters before he even solved that Puzzle._ "The one and only."

"I would've thought he'd be there watching his mentor. Why weren't you two there?"

 _Aw crap. Should've known I'd step into trouble._ Joey thought for a moment. "Well, Kaiba's been challenging Yami to duels every week or so for the past few months. It gets boring watchin' the same thing all the time, ya know?" He'd better embellish that truth a bit for good measure. "But they liked dueling privately. No crowd pressure for either side, just them two and their monsters." He paused. "Figures that we missed Kaiba actually winning," he joked.

"Indeed," he could swear Andrea was smiling. "Now, Mr. Wheeler…you were with Yugi that afternoon. But yesterday, Mr. Motou said Yugi wasn't well. What happened?"

Joey froze. _Oh shit. Oh shitshitshit. I can't just tell her that my best bud got kidnapped…crap, what if she's already talked to Yug? If our stories don't match up, we're toast!_ He glanced at his watch. "OH CRAP," he said, relief coursing through him. He had never been so thankful to be running late. "I'm sorry, Ms. Tyler, but I really gotta go! I'm gonna be late!"

"Oh!" she sounded surprised. "Oh goodness, I didn't realize how much time went by. Is there a time when I can call you back?"

"Hm…I should be back by 7 tonight. That all right?"

"Absolutely. Thank you for your time, Mr. Wheeler."

Joey wiped a sweaty palm on his jeans. "No problem."

He hung up, letting out a breath. Then he jumped up, running to grab his wallet. He really _was_ running late. _Good thing I'm headed to the Game Shop anyway,_ he thought as he raced out the door. _I need to get my story straight with Yams and Yug before that reporter calls back._

* * *

Seto glowered at his computer screen. He had a raging headache, no doubt from the obnoxious lack of sleep from the past couple of nights. A lack of sleep that was filled with tossing and turning and that face. That  _goddamn son of a bitch's face!_

 _Damn him. DAMN him,_ Seto thought furiously, burying his face in his hands. It wasn't fair, damn it! He won, he'd _won_ , he'd won everything and everything he wanted. He should be well rested and basking in the glow of victory; the twisted and broken expression of defeat on his rival's face should've lulled him to pleasant dreams. Instead, his face, that _fucking face_ , smirked at him in the mirror, on his computer, burning itself into his retinas, never leaving him be. Those eyes, those stupid fucking red-violet eyes pierced his exhausted mind; still proud, still sharp, still challenging, still VICTORIOUS.

Seto wanted to scream. _You should be DONE FOR_ , he mentally howled, snarling at the phantom image. _You should be on your fucking KNEES. It's ME who has the glory now, ME. I won my game, your title is MINE, your cards are MINE, your victory is MINE, the game is MINE, you fucking bastard, MINE MINE MINEMINEMINEMINEMINE! No matter what you said after that conference, you've LOST. LOST. YOU. LOST LOST LOSTLOSTLOST. TO ME. ME!_

But had he? Had he, had he really? He'd never lost his cool. Calm and cool, he was, but that was supposed to be HIM, himself, Seto Kaiba, King of Games, made of ice, calm and cold, so cold, so cold. Cold was good. Cold was strong. But fire…fire was also strong, and _his_ eyes burned with it…the fire that refused to be quenched, that had burned and burned and burned no matter how hard he tried to wipe it out. Yugi had fueled it, Yugi and his stupid bond with his _other fucking self._ Losing his title for the sake of Yugi had fueled it. The conference fueled it; he'd mastered the horde of hounds that called themselves journalists with ease, and walked out as though he hadn't a care in the world, as though _he_ was still the King of Games, as though Seto had never defeated him, as though the cold, the ice, the cold and ice that should have destroyed his fire only made him burn stronger. Cold and ice, Seto Kaiba was cold and ice, but he felt so hot, so scattered; he couldn't focus…

"Mr. Kaiba!" His secretary's irritated voice ripped through his thoughts, sending them scattering to the wind in pieces.

Bloodshot azure eyes glared at the intruder. "What do you want?" He barely managed to keep his tone civil.

Strangely, she glared right back. "I've been calling your name for the past two minutes." Where was the deference? The respect that was reserved for only him, that should have been _tripled_ now that he was the one and only King of Games? Was the world itself turning upside down, that the employees who usually cringed under his glare now sneered at him? Sneered and jeered behind his back, he knew they did, he knew they did…

"Whatever. What was so _important_?"

"Itoh is here to see you. She says she needs to speak with you sooner rather than later."

His press secretary? What could she want? Surely nothing bad was being printed, surely not; he'd won a victory, a great victory, and his company always benefited when he won. And when he lost, it lost. Such was the nature of the game.

"Hmph. Fine, send her in." He needed good news. He really needed good news, he needed to drive away the images, the sounds, the images, the fire from his head. The fire…the crimson fire, tinged with violet…or was it violet tinged with red…

His thoughts were mercifully interrupted once again by the entrance of his press secretary, Seneki Itoh. KaibaCorp had a sizeable PR department that managed and watched the press concerning the company, but Itoh's job was to monitor all press directly relating to Seto himself. She had a sharp mind that could pick out almost any potential problem, and find at least two potential solutions.

It was for that reason that Seto tolerated her attitude. "Mr. Kaiba, we've got a problem. Besides the fact that you look horrendous," she said crisply, sitting in the chair across from him without so much as a preamble, brushing her long black bangs out of her eyes. Yes, she was sharp, very sharp. Too sharp. Seto would have to keep himself fully controlled, fully checked with her. No rambling, no glowering, no fire. No fire. Normal.

"Tell me something I don't already know," he said, letting himself sound irritated. Which he was.

"The problem or the looks?" Yes. Very sharp. Sharp like knives. Like ice.

"The looks. I've had a crap couple of nights' sleep." That was true at least. "What's the problem?"

He didn't like the look of annoyed puzzlement that crossed her features. "Haven't you been paying attention to the papers? They come to you every morning, don't they?"

Seto paused. Usually, yes, they were waiting for him when he sat down to eat breakfast. But for the past couple of days, only one had been there: the financial paper. He'd reprimanded his idiotic servants for neglecting it, of course… "I haven't, actually. Enlighten me."

She hmphed. "Well, they're certainly reacting very strangely to your new victory. Over Yami Mutou," she added, as though he didn't immediately know what she meant. As though it hadn't been haunting him for the past few days. Strange? Everything was strange now.

"Strange how? I beat him, I'm the King of Games and he's a has-been, end of story. I've claimed victory, he's conceded." This was already irritating.

"Not quite," she sighed. "They're reading into this like a bunch of tabloids. Here, see for yourself." She handed him a few papers, stacked in chronological order from first print. He picked up the first and read:

_King of Games Relinquishes Title to KaibaCorp CEO_

_Domino City, Japan. The world of duelists has a new monarch. In a press conference on Monday morning that shocked the gaming world, longtime champ Yami Mutou, known throughout the gaming world as the King of Games, announced that he was handing his crown to Seto Kaiba, President and CEO of KaibaCorp._

_Mutou and Kaiba, longtime rivals for the gaming crown, had often met privately for matches in the popular card game Duel Monsters that pushed both to fame three years ago. While it has been confirmed that Mutou bested the CEO in every match, this weekend's events turned his streak of victory on its head, according to Kaiba._

" _For years, I have tried to prove that the King of Games is not unbeatable," Kaiba stated, "and finally I have succeeded."_

_If anyone expected the former King of Games to bow out ungracefully after such a long reign, however, they were in for a disappointment. "It has always been the fun of dueling that keeps me in the game, not a need to stay on top," Mutou said, "If someone defeated me honorably, I would be happy to hand him or her the proverbial crown." The petite, spiky-haired duelist remained calm and poised in the face of any criticism, and even handed over the three Duel Monsters cards that made him the envy of the dueling arena._

The rest of the article summarized the events of the 'duel'; Seto skimmed those sections. Anger snaked its way through his thoughts. " _Relinquishing_ his title," he sneered. "Calm and poised…what is this, a praise column for _him_ or a victory for _me?_ "

Itoh snorted. "That one's not even bad. Keep going." He picked up the next.

_Questions Arise Over King of Games Coup D'Etat_

_If only victory could stay sweet._

_Seto Kaiba, President and CEO of KaibaCorp and longtime rival to now-former King of Games Yami Mutou, has finally declared victory once and for all. In a press conference, he and the top-ranked duelist confirmed the story and answered questions from the press. However, the victory is being tainted by rumors questioning the validity of the duel and the curious circumstances surrounding it._

_Recent developments have caused a flurry of questions among gaming enthusiasts in both the arena and the blogosophere. Several reporters and viewers noted that Kaiba's request for Mutou's three most prized cards came as a surprise to the duelist, many believing that he would decline to hand them over. Others noted that during the event, several hints were made suggesting that the former King of Games was not happy with the developments, despite his appearance of polite acceptance._

_In addition, Mutou's protégé, Yugi Motou, often mistaken for a relative of the top duelist due to their similar hairstyles, was not present at the conference. When asked about the younger duelist's whereabouts, Mutou responded that his dueling partner was not well. However, sources say that young Motou was present in the local arcade looking quite healthy just a day and a half prior, making the onset of his apparent illness unusually sudden._

Seto stopped reading. "What is this _bullshit_?" he growled. "What the hell does Yugi's absence have to do with this? What's this about 'several hints' that Yami was pissed about losing? He was perfectly calm the entire time!" _Too calm,_ he thought. _Too calm, too cool, not humiliated, not defeated like he should have been…_

"I know, and that's why I snagged a recording of it to watch it more closely. You two really don't like each other, do you?" She raised an eyebrow.

Seto snorted. "Whatever gave you that idea?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Figured. Well, they're right about the hints. Yami Mutou glared at you quite a few times…very _interesting_ times, actually. Including when he mentioned that Yugi Motou wasn't well, which probably explains why people noticed."

Seto cursed mentally. Of course they'd pick up on that. The scorching look that shouted the reason for Yugi's 'illness' to the entire crowd. The look that burned with anger, burned with challenge and promise… "Hmph. He's still bitter about losing, obviously." He glowered at the photograph that accompanied the article.

"Heh. If I were to describe Mr. Mutou during that conference, 'bitter' wouldn't be the word I'd use." She rifled through the papers on the desk, but Seto continued staring at the photo in front of him.

There was something he didn't like about it. It was striking, to be sure, but he didn't like it.

"And look at this next one… 'King of Games Victory a Fraud?' Granted, that's tabloid trash, but it's still dangerous…"

A close-up of Yami with his microphone; behind him, Seto at the podium, watching as Yami answered a question.

"And these here…'gracious behavior on the part of Yami Mutou'…'dignity in the face of criticism and jabs from Kaiba'…man, they freakin' love this guy, it's unreal. You'd think HE won instead of you…"

Instead of that sharp profile, however, Yami's face was turned towards the camera, no doubt at the enquirer whose question he was answering. Looking almost directly at the camera. Smirking. _That_ smirk. That confident smirk, that _godforsaken_ smirk that haunted him…and now he was smirking at _him_ , the black-and-white gaze was now crimson-violet…

Gods, he hated it. He hated _him_. He had _no right_ to be smirking like that! Seto growled. _Wipe that fucking smirk off your face, you asshole_. _You have NO RIGHT to look like that, no right…_

"Mr. Kaiba?" He blinked, looking up at a slightly concerned-looking Itoh. "I didn't catch that…" she trailed off.

 _Catch what? Did…did I speak aloud?_ He frowned. He hadn't thought he was. "I wasn't aware that I said anything," he managed in his coolest tone.

Itoh was quiet for a moment. "Well, you definitely mumbled something there. Maybe you need some rest. You look like hell. Try to catch a nap…or at least get yourself a strong cup of coffee." She rose. "We need to go over a way to counteract all this; get people on the track of celebration and OFF the track of questioning," she said, giving him a sharp look. "But you seriously need a break. I'm telling your secretary not to bother you for a full hour and you better put that time to good use."

An hour. An hour to rest, to forget that goddamned smirk and his ruined victory. He managed a smirk. "I didn't know you cared."

She snorted. "Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Kaiba. It's bad for your image if you look as awful as you do for much longer. And it's my job to keep your image in the clear."

She exited the office, closing the door behind her. Seto eyed the photo once again. "Don't look at me like that," he mumbled, glaring at it wearily. "Don't you fucking look at me like that. You've LOST. I'VE won." _And I take what's rightfully mine. Mine…_ "Your cards are mine." _Your title is mine._ "Your victory is mine." _Mine…mine…_ "You're _mine_ , you bastard. You." _You._ "You, YOU are MINE." _And I won't stop until you're on the ground, under my feet, on display for all to see._ "No more fire. No, no, no fire. No fire. Not allowed to have fire." _Anything that's mine is cold. And you WILL be mine._

Seto barely noticed as his head hit the desk, resting on the newspaper. His vision swam with lines of black and white…and crimson…crimson and violet…he belonged to _him_. His. Victory was his. And that meant Yami was his. His…and he stopped at nothing to get what was his. And he'd grind him into the ground and wash away all the fire. No more fire. Only cold. Cold and broken and cold and beaten.

He sighed. He slept. And for one glorious hour, he had pleasant dreams.


	9. Gut Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new challenge, and bad feelings.

"I still think this is a bad idea," Yugi sighed for the umpteenth time, tucking his deck into the small belt pouch he always wore and checking his desk to make sure he didn't leave any cards behind.

Yami rolled his eyes, leaning against the doorway to Yugi's room. "Yugi, Kaiba hasn't bothered either of us in the past couple of _weeks._ I'm sure it'll be fine."

Yugi faced his other half, frowning. _Yes, and that's what worries me. You'd think that after that press conference and all the stories that were written about it, he would've at least tried to rub it in his face…_ "It's you I'm worried about, not me. Haven't you heard the rumors going around?" Disturbing rumors…he wasn't usually one to believe a bunch of gossip, but these didn't seem to be the gross exaggerations that were the norm.

"Which ones?" Yami asked dryly. "The ones about me plotting to kill Kaiba in his sleep or the ones that still hail me as the King of Games, complete with crown and scepter?"

"Oh stop," Yugi said, amusement quirking his lips into a momentary smile. "I've _seen_ you with a crown and scepter, remember. You looked ridiculous." Yami chuckled, his expression a mix of mock outrage and humor. "But that's not what I meant. I mean the ones about Kaiba. How he's slowly going off the deep end. He's been seen muttering to himself in public, and…well, it's like he has this crazed obsession with you."

He realized that came out sounding more laughable than it really was, and Yami's skeptical expression confirmed it. "Kaiba's been obsessed with beating me for years, Yugi. That's nothing new." Yugi's exasperation must have shown on his face, because he continued, "Aibou…it's just a tournament. A KaibaCorp tournament, yes, but it's been well publicized and tickets for it sold out yesterday. We'll be in public the entire time; he won't be able to do anything with all the fans, press and security that will be there. I'm not even _dueling_."

_Yes, a KaibaCorp tournament hosted by Kaiba, who's out for your blood, and you won't even be on the dueling field. That's a GREAT reason to go,_ Yugi thought mutinously. "All the more reason for you to stay home," he said, not willing to back down.

Yami raised an eyebrow. "And not support you? Don't be ridiculous. This is the first big tournament where I'm not dueling as your partner…or even a friendly rival, for that matter. You've supported me dozens of times when I've dueled alone; now it's my turn."

Affection for his darker half mixed with his exasperation at his stubbornness. "I appreciate that; I really, really do. But when your safety is at risk…"

To his surprise, Yami laughed outright. "Aibou, considering everything we've been through, I _really_ don't think talking about safety risks is a very valid argument."

Yugi had to laugh in return. He had a point…How many times had they risked their lives for something? Both of them had come dangerously close to death's door more than once. Still… "I just don't want you to get hurt," he said soberly. "Kaiba's dangerous, and he's only gotten worse since the whole kidnapping thing. There's no telling what he could be up to." The thought of Kaiba hurting Yami made his stomach twist unpleasantly.

Yami smiled. He walked up to Yugi, wrapping his arms around his lighter half. Yugi hugged him back fiercely, feeling very protective. "And if something happens to _you_ , aibou, while I'm _safe_ here?" Yugi didn't quite have an answer to that. They stayed that way for a moment before breaking apart. "I'll be careful, all right? And I'm going to watch you kick the competition out of the water." That confident smile still made Yugi slightly weak at the knees, though he certainly was not about to tell Yami that little detail.

Putting aside his misgivings, he smiled back and headed for the door. "Thanks. And hey, you never know… _I_ might be the King of Games when we get home."

Yami followed, smirking. "Yes…but be careful. You may have a very short reign."

"In your dreams, Yami."

* * *

Mokuba paced the KaibaLand Duel Dome security office nervously. In about an hour, the contestants for the afternoon's tournament would show up; it was his job to hand them their laminates, instruct them on security measures and show them their private lounge where they could relax and grab a bite between duels. He'd already checked to make sure the caterers were setting up and had the laminates and security packets in neat stacks on the desk next to him. No big deal; he'd done all this before.

It was his brother who was making him nervous. His brother, and two duelists whom he hadn't heard from in a couple of weeks.

He had known Seto wouldn't take well to the press coverage of the conference. When he'd come down to breakfast the day afterward and glanced at his brother's customary stack of newspapers, he'd nearly choked at the headlines. They were far too biased in the former pharaoh's favor; he'd known Seto would have flipped. So he'd casually grabbed all but the financial papers and hidden them from his brother's view, hoping to keep the disastrous articles from reaching his ears.

Unfortunately, it seemed that KaibaCorp's sizeable PR department had handed him the news anyway. And it hadn't gone over well.

Seto had gotten progressively worse since that day. Mokuba wasn't sure if Seto actually lived in reality anymore. He'd heard him muttering incoherently to himself more than once…and in public a couple of times. _His brother_ – the epitome of cool self-control! – muttering to himself, so disheveled it almost looked like he'd been fighting, sometimes stopping cold to stare at a picture of Yami in a newspaper or magazine (the news about Seto claiming the King of Games title still hadn't worn off)…it was like he was possessed. Or obsessed. Obsessed and out of his mind.

It scared Mokuba more than anything to see him like this, because there was no telling what his brother would do anymore. Especially to Yami or Yugi if he saw them again. And both were showing up at the tournament today.

Which was why he was nervously waiting for Roland to arrive. There were some things he needed to go over with their head of security that Seto couldn't know about.

He sighed to himself, considering the risks involved for his two friends. Only Yugi was dueling; since the winner of the semi-finals would face Seto himself, and Yami had given his word not to attempt to regain his former title, he hadn't registered. However, he was still being given a laminate. It just wouldn't be right to exclude one of the world's best and most famous duelists from the Duelists' Lounge simply because he'd lost his title to Seto.

Besides…Seto hadn't actually won the title fair and square, anyway. And given his recent history with the two, Mokuba was not inclined to separate them and make them easier targets. Not with his brother nearby, his sanity hanging by a thread and all of his ire focused on the "former" King of Games.

The door to the office opened. Mokuba stopped pacing and heaved a sigh of relief when Roland stepped into the room. "Hi, Roland," he managed a smile. "Glad to see you made it."

"You said it was important, sir," the older man said, looking at him with a measure of concern in his eyes.

"It is," Mokuba took a breath. "Roland, I'm pretty sure you know what I'm worried about."

He nodded. "Your brother has a lot of the staff nervous, sir," he said. "I've actually doubled the usual amount of security, though many of them are in plain clothes."

A weight seemed to lift off his shoulders, and Mokuba smiled in relief. Roland was perceptive and was usually a step or two ahead of both Mokuba and Seto when it came to security of any kind. "Great job," he said. "That was one of the things I wanted to suggest."

The bodyguard nodded in acknowledgement. "And the others?"

Mokuba considered his next words. "I need you to keep a close eye on Yugi and Yami," he said. "Not because they'd do anything, but…well, you've seen Seto lately," he swallowed nervously. "He…he's obsessed with Yami. At least I think he is. And Roland…Yugi…" he paused, unsure of how to phrase what he wanted to say properly.

The older man, however, understood. "Yugi was kidnapped and assaulted at the hands of your brother." Mokuba nodded sadly. "So you want to make sure he and the King of Games are safe from Mr. Kaiba's…erratic behavior."

Mokuba decided not to correct Roland on the 'King of Games' thing. They both knew the truth. "If you could spare a couple pairs of eyes," he said. "I know they can take care of themselves. But…I'd just feel a lot better if there was someone keeping an eye on them in case Seto goes nuts."

Roland thought for a moment. "I can put two men on the job," he said. "They'll be put with the guards stationed in and near the Duelists' Lounge so it won't look suspicious." After a couple of experiences with rabid fans, guards were stationed near the duelists at most tournaments these days. An extra pair wouldn't look out of place at all…and in the state he was in, Seto probably wouldn't even notice.

"That sounds great. Thanks, Roland," he said. "Let's hope nothing happens."

"Indeed, sir," he responded gravely.

* * *

Yugi approached the KaibaLand Duel Dome with some apprehension, Yami beside him. They didn't need to report to the duelists' area for another 15 minutes, but Yugi knew Mokuba would already be ready with their passes. The younger Kaiba was exceptionally brilliant in his own right; it was a shame he didn't often get recognized for it. Yugi didn't know too many other twelve-year-olds who could handle the responsibilities Mokuba was often designated to.

He had a bad feeling about this tournament. Or maybe it was just nerves; now that he was actually _here_ , he was feeling a bit jittery. He never was one for huge crowds. They made him nervous, and nervousness made him lose his concentration far more easily.

Yami seemed to sense his mood and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Keep breathing," he said reassuringly. "You'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say," he muttered, though he was half-kidding. Up ahead, he saw a short figure with a mop of black hair wave at them. He waved back.

"Hi, Mokuba," he smiled at the younger Kaiba, who was standing near a small table stacked with laminates and brochures. He looked slightly stressed, but otherwise happy to see them. "Busy already?"

"Actually, you two are the first to arrive," he said, flipping through the stack of passes to find their names. "Yami, I made sure you got a pass, even though you aren't dueling. Wouldn't do for the King of Games to not have one just because he wasn't dueling!" He laughed a bit, but it sounded slightly strained.

"Former King of Games," Yami corrected automatically; he'd had to do that a lot lately.

Mokuba looked up at them, his expression both nervous and stressed. "Yes, well…" he trailed off. Yugi understood. All three of them knew what had really happened.

"It's good to see you again," Yami continued smoothly. "I do apologize for not staying in touch."

Yugi nodded. "We figured Kaiba wouldn't be too pleased to hear you talking to us," he added.

Mokuba suddenly looked sad. "No, he really wouldn't've," he mumbled, looking down. "He's been…strange." Yugi felt for him. If the rumors were true, Kaiba was losing his sanity more and more by the day. It couldn't be easy for his brother to watch. He placed a hand on the younger Kaiba's shoulder in silent comfort.

Yami spoke up. "He hasn't hurt you, has he?" he asked, concern on his features. That was Yami, always worrying about everyone else. Then again, he himself was the same way.

Mokuba looked up at the former pharaoh. "No, he hasn't, he said quietly. "But I keep out of his way. It's like he's no longer himself; no one knows what he'll do. Actually," he added, as though a thought had struck him, "if you notice a couple of security guys watching you, don't get nervous. I want to make sure you two are going to be safe."

Yugi was touched. _That was really thoughtful of him,_ he thought. _I never did thank him for trying to help get me out of Kaiba's basement…_ "Thanks a lot, Mokuba," he said, smiling at the younger boy.

"I'm sure things will be fine," Yami added. "But it means a lot."

"I hope so, too," the younger Kaiba said. A couple of duelists walked up behind them, and Mokuba handed Yugi and Yami their passes and security packets. "You two know the drill; just go through that door and to your left and you'll see signs for the Duelists' Lounge. Best of luck, Yugi," he smiled.

They'd barely gotten to the door when they heard a shout. "Oy, Yug! Yams!"

They turned, seeing Joey waving enthusiastically as he waited for Mokuba to find a pass. "You know, I _do_ hate that nickname," Yami commented wearily, and Yugi burst out laughing, the tension draining from his shoulders. Yami had tried unsuccessfully to get Joey to stop calling him that, protesting that it was far too reminiscent of potatoes, but the blond cheerfully persisted. Uncharacteristically, the King of Games had eventually given up the fight.

He grinned at his best friend as he ran to catch up to them. "Hey Joey! I didn't know you were dueling, too!"

"'Course I am!" he grinned. "Someone's gotta give ya a real fight. And keep ya out of trouble, o'course." Yami raised an eyebrow, looking amused. Joey pointedly ignored him. "Nervous, Yug?" he asked.

"A bit," he said. "You know how I am with big crowds."

"Meanin' you're just afraid of facin' _me_ ," Joey fake-leered at him as they walked inside. "Good, 'cause you're goin' down!"

Yugi and Yami both laughed, following the dim hallway to the airy Duelists' Lounge. Having Joey with them made Yugi feel a bit better.

Maybe he _was_ worrying too much. If things went their way, they'd only see Kaiba at the beginning and end of the tournament, and he was sure to keep himself in check in public.

Still, he was going to keep a sharp eye out around his other half, whether he liked it or not.


	10. Burning Ice, Chilling Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba seeks to douse the fire haunting him at last.

Seto glared down at the dueling arena from his place in the Executive Box. Gods, it was hot. Hot and stuffy and uncomfortable and hot. He was alone, save for Roland, who was standing near the door. But removing his tie was out of the question. No, no, he was the King of Games and the King of Games had to be perfectly buttoned and in control. Kings must act kingly, kingly and regal and cold and cold and cold…but gods, it was hard to be cold when it was so damned _hot_.

Of course, _he_ had never had a problem. _He_ had always been the epitome of poise, even when angry. Why the fuck was it so hot? So hot, like fire, like burning fire, but he hated fire, he hated fire…

_Fuck._ Seto growled under his breath as his brain was bombarded with images. Words. Images and words and images and words and fire. Those red-violet eyes, so calm but burning, aflame with emotion in a face of stone, a face of sharpness, of regality and calm and fire…tinged with yellow, bolts of yellow, lightning and power and lightning and GODS BE DAMNED that fire would never fucking die, never ever, not even when he should have been beaten, should have broken, beaten, broken, _lost._

But he _did_ lose. Seto knew that. He knew and knew with every cell in his body that the pharaoh had _lost_. _And that means the fire is mine. MINEmineMINEmineMINE, he is MINE._ He would break him. He would. He would, he would. The fire would truly belong to him, truly belong, but only once it was quenched and wet and thrown to the ground and he should have BEEN doused already but goddamnit he wasn't and it wasn't fair, it wasn't fair, the fire wouldn't leave him alone but he didn't want it to…

Wild cheers interrupted his thoughts. Who was dueling anyway? His eyes flicked up to the scoreboard. Ah, yes, it was the semifinals' final duel, the duel that would decide who fought the King of Games. Him. Ice and cold and ice was the new King of Games, and he would show them all who deserved it all, he would show them all that fire was doomed to fail…

"AND THE WINNER OF THE SEMIFINALS HAS BEEN DECIDED!" The booming voice of the announcer reverberated through the stadium, and through his head. "GIVE IT UP FOR YUGI MOTOU!"

_WHAT?_

Wild cheers. Wild. Screaming. Like him, his mind, his everything.

Sure enough, a platform was lowering a small figure with spiky hair to the ground. Seto's head nearly exploded. _Yugi? That worthless other fucking half of HIM, of HIM, is the semifinalist?_ Outrage mixed with glee mixed with satisfaction. Of course, the protégé of the FORMER King of Games would win everything; he would try to win his precious pharaoh's title back, no doubt, but oh, things were different now…he had ground Yugi into the dirt and Yugi knew it and surely Yugi was afraid of him and the whole world would see him cower and he'd have the matched pair at his feet. Yes, yesyes, that was a good plan.

Where was _he_ , anyway? Azure eyes narrowed, scanning the dueling area. A barely controlled sneer and spike of contempt flickered through him as he spotted a mop of sandy blonde hair bouncing towards his _best friend._ Of course the stupid _dog_ would be there. Second-rate, second to his friends, but still there, still there and there and fueling the fire, supporting the fire…

There—there! There, there he was. Red-violet eyes alight, first to reach the smaller duelist, grabbing his sickly sweet little partner in a one-armed hug. Seto growled softly; how _dare_ that stupid shrimp hug _him_ like that? How _dare_ he, as if the red-violet eyes were _his_ , as if HE HIMSELF did not own EVERYTHING and everything and EVERYTHING that was Yami's. HE WAS HIS, GODDAMNIT, DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING TOUCH HIM. Gods, he hated that brat, hated how the shrimp touched him, smiled at him, gods be fucking damned, he had NO RIGHT to look at him like that! NO right, no right, NONE; HE BELONGED TO HIM, NOT THE SHRIMP; _GODDAMNIT, GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS AWAY FROM MY FIRE._

But wait…what was this? Didn't HE know? Not pushing away, not broken, not beaten. The former King of Games, grinning like an absolute _idiot_ , looking proud as a peacock as the crowd cheered the midget's name. You'd think he won the stupid thing himself, goddamnit, how the fuck can a fucking idiot like that call himself royalty? Royalty was cold and controlled and cold. Yes, go on, pharaoh, show the world what a fucking farce you are…

Vaguely, he could hear the announcer shout to the crowd that Yugi Motou would be facing Seto Kaiba, unbeaten King of Games, in one final duel. He stood, smirking, as thousands of pairs of eyes blinked towards  _him_. This was what he deserved; this was what he had wanted.

Then two sets of violet eyes met his. One set held coolness, a crystal-sharp challenge. The other set held fire. Gods, so much fire…passion and anger and calm and confidence and pride and happiness and _fire_. And golden, regal fire it was…But that cool crystal, that was the one who _dared_ touch what was his. He would pay, just like last time, he would pay and pay and pay until he was ground to the ground for touching what was his and his and his alone.

"Sir?" Roland had stepped tentatively to his side. Seto looked at him. "You'd better go downstairs, sir. The break is for half an hour, and I know you need to…prepare yourself."

Ah, yes. The break before the final match. All the duelists would be in the Duelists' Lounge, no doubt grabbing at all the food they could get their hands on. Perhaps he could have a chat with his opponent. Or… _him._ He was _his_ , he belonged to _him,_ and no fucking SHRIMP could make him think otherwise. It was high time he learned the REAL order of things.

It was high time he learned that Seto Kaiba was not a ruler known for mercy.

* * *

Yugi's cheeks were starting to hurt from grinning so much, but he didn't care. Congratulating his opponent on a duel well fought, he made his way into the Duelists' Lounge, Yami and Joey by his side. Yami in particular was just as excited as he was; the look on his face when Yugi descended from the platform was worth more than all the titles and trophies in the world.

Things couldn't have gone better. They'd seen neither hide nor hair of Kaiba until the opening ceremony before the competition, and that had been only from a distance. He'd sat in the fancy Executive Box high in the stadium, only once or twice glancing in their direction. Perfectly buttoned up, not a hair out of place, just like normal. While he knew perfectly well that beneath the surface, Kaiba was anything _but_ normal, the lack of threats, muttering or creepily obsessive looks reassured him. Maybe things would be just fine after all.

"Aw MAN, Yug, when he had that trap combo on ya, I thought you were a GONER," Joey was saying for the third time. "But then…aw MAN, I STILL don't know exactly what ya did!"

Yami and Yugi laughed. "It was a brilliant move, aibou," his other half said, beaming proudly. "You'll have Kaiba beaten in no time if you keep this up!"

Pride swelled within him; he thought he could burst with happiness. "Thanks, Yami," he said, positively glowing.

"MAN, I'M STARVIN'," his best friend declared. "C'mon, guys, the food's gonna be GONE by the time we get there! WALK FASTER!" He playfully grabbed Yugi's wrist and tugged him in the direction of the Lounge. "Yo. Food. NOW."

Yami laughed again. "Actually, I need to use the bathroom," he said, heading for a different exit. "You two go ahead without me; I won't be long."

"Wait, royalty actually goes to the little boys' room?" Joey gasped in mock surprise.

Yami smirked over his shoulder. "Actually, we go to the BIG boys' room. Too bad you don't qualify."

Yugi nearly doubled over laughing as Joey sputtered, trying to come up with a witty response. Failing that, he faked a glower at his spectacularly unsympathetic best friend. "Oh come on, ya shrimp, or I'll eat YOU."

* * *

Yami made his way down the polished hallway in high spirits, heading for the men's room. He was so proud of Yugi, and more than impressed with some of the strategies he'd come up with. He'd have to ask him how he thought up that last one; that was ingenious, and had gotten him a comeback that culminated in a round defeat for his opponent.

Things were certainly going better than he'd expected. Despite his reassurances to Yugi, he'd expected Kaiba to threaten him again, at the very least. But it seemed the billionaire was keeping himself under tight control, and he'd barely seen the CEO at all.

He frowned slightly to himself. There was, however, the slight exchange after Yugi's win was announced. He'd looked up at Kaiba's booth to see the CEO giving his aibou a look that was predatory and full of hatred…and another emotion he couldn't quite place…which didn't make any sense, since _he_ was the one Kaiba hated so much.

_Whatever the case may be_ , he thought to himself, _I warned him that if he laid a FINGER on Yugi after what he put him through, there would be hell to pay. And there will. Ra damn me to an afterlife of suffering if I let him hurt my aibou EVER again._

He took care of business quickly, wanting to return to the Lounge as fast as possible. Not that he doubted security could handle a crazed Kaiba, but he still felt the need to protect his partner himself. He supposed it was a leftover of the old connection they had shared.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice a tall figure following him back down the hallway. Until…

"Well, well," a soft, sickeningly familiar voice breathed, practically into his ear, which made him jump. "If it isn't his royal highness, crownless and among the rabble."

He should have known things were going way too well to last. He turned and looked up, keeping his expression calm and neutral, meeting bloodshot sky-blue eyes. "Yes, I do mingle every so often," he said with a not-so-subtle hint of sarcasm. Perhaps he should be more cautious, but the fact that Kaiba was _here_ meant that he was not threatening Yugi. And Yami intended to keep things that way. "But I must say, I'm not used to such…enthusiastic greetings from you. What do you want?"

A snicker. No, that wasn't right…it was almost a _giggle_. If you could ever say that Seto Kaiba _giggled_. Kaiba's expression twisted into a disturbing leer, his eyes burning with a kind of crazed passion. "You."

Yami wasn't quite sure what to make of his answer. "…Excuse me?" He definitely didn't like the look on his face. If he didn't know better, he'd think he was implying…but _did_ he know better now? More than one person had warned him how unstable Kaiba had become.

"Heh," Kaiba stepped forward, the leer not leaving his face as his eyes bored into Yami's own. "It seems you've forgotten the terms of our agreement."

The _terms_? Yami was perplexed; the terms had been perfectly clear, and he'd adhered to all of them. He raised an eyebrow in skepticism, warily watching as Seto took another step forward, bringing him uncomfortably close and causing Yami to look up farther. _Gods, being short has so many disadvantages,_ he thought irritably, backing up a step.

"Oh don't think you can get away that easily," Seto all but purred, smirking nastily. "When I win, I win everything. Your title. Your cards. Your glory. And that means, I win _you._ "

_Oh dear gods_ , he thought, both suppressing a shudder and bristling at the insult. Yugi had been right; Kaiba was obsessed. Swallowing the revulsion that wormed its way up his throat, he glowered up at the crazed CEO and said, "You're out of your mind. The terms were clear, I accepted them, and adhered to them. It's over." He turned to walk away.

The reaction was instantaneous. A hand grabbed his jacket, and before he could even move, he was slammed against the wall, Kaiba's fist clutching the collar of his jacket. He brought his face to within an inch of Yami's, who recoiled back instinctively.

"The _fuck_ it's over," Kaiba snarled, his face an ugly mask of anger. "You're _mine_ , you fucking _pharaoh,_ MINE," he shoved him harder against the wall; Yami tried to keep calm, looking for a way to break free, "and I will fucking _break_ you like you deserve," his other hand came up and fisted in Yami's hair; he resisted the urge to wince, concentrating on finding Seto's weak point. "Broken, that's what you should be, fucking  _broken_ , but no, no, no you're not yet, you're not…But I'll do it, I will, I'll fucking _crush_ you…"

He shifted and Yami saw his chance. Snarling, half in fear, half in fury, he brought his knee up sharply, right between Kaiba's legs. The grip on his hair and collar loosened as the CEO grunted in pain, and Yami broke free, shoving him to the side as hard as he could. He whirled to face a doubled-over Kaiba, backing up, not wanting to turn his back on him again. "I will NEVER belong to you," he growled, half-shaken and half-insulted. " _Never_. You're fucking _insane_ , and I'll be _damned_ if I let you threaten me or my aibou any longer." Almost there, almost to the corner. Once he got there, he could turn and run, but he would NOT run away while Kaiba could see him.

Blue eyes shot up to meet angered red-violet, and it seemed like something snapped. With a roar, Seto Kaiba dove forward. Yami jumped backward, but he wasn't quite fast enough. A vice-like grip closed on his arm and yanked. He reacted instinctively: he twisted, pulling in the other direction. Seto lost his balance and stumbled, and Yami brought his free hand into a fist, punching him in the eye as hard as he could. The grip loosened again, and he wrenched his arm free, only to get caught again as the taller man lunged for his wrist.

They struggled. They fought, one trying to overpower, the other trying to out-maneuver, in a dance of dangerous violence. Yami was sweating, concentrating on the fight, trying to maneuver them towards the exit.

He was strong. He knew it. However, facing a man nearly twice his height made manipulating their struggle a lot harder. And while Kaiba had surely lost his sanity, some part of him remembered how to fight. His grip remained cemented around Yami's right wrist, his other hand blocking most of his blows. Still, he kept fighting. He wouldn't give up, not here, not now, not ever…and he was getting close to the exit, much closer…

Suddenly, Kaiba was behind him, his arm snaking around Yami's neck in a chokehold. Yami stopped struggling as he tried to find his footing.

A snicker right by his ear sent a shiver down his spine. Gods, he was insane. He had to get away from him _now._ "Looks like the little pharaoh is caught," Seto sneered. Yami shifted slightly. Maybe, just maybe… "I win… _Yami._ "

Yami reached up with his one free hand and grabbed a handful of Kaiba's hair. He bent double, pulling as hard as he could…and the crazed billionaire stumbled sideways and crashed into the floor, his head smacking the ground.

His intent had been to throw the CEO over his shoulder, but whatever worked, he would take. Wrenching free, he ran down the hall, hoping fervently that he would find help through the doors. There was no way he could finish this alone.

* * *

Four plates of food later, Yugi was wondering if Joey had indeed eaten his weight in food.

"Joey, come on," he laughed, watching as his best friend polished off the last of his fries. "You're going to get sick if you keep that up."

"No way, man," Joey licked his fingers and grinned. "I feel like I could run a marathon or somethin'!" He leaned back into his chair. "But right now, I think I'll just relax."

The other duelists in the Lounge had similar ideas, it seemed. The spacious, airy room was full of the quiet chatter that came after a good meal, provided by the excellent caterers that Mokuba had arranged for. Plush chairs and couches upholstered in creamy leather surrounded low coffee tables, dotting the dark blue carpet, and one wall was made entirely of glass, giving those inside a view of the dueling area. Having dueled in the KaibaLand Dome more times than he could count, Yugi had become more than familiar with the area, but every so often, it was nice to sit back and appreciate the taste and comfort. The Kaibas certainly knew how to treat their guests well.

Yugi glanced at his watch and frowned. Fifteen minutes remained of the half-hour break, and he had seen neither hide nor hair of his other half. The plate of food he'd saved for him had gotten cold, sitting on a table nearby.

It wasn't like Yami to take this long. Even if he had met someone he knew on the way back, he should have returned by now. Yugi bit his lip. He was probably worrying too much; Yami often got stopped by fans or acquaintances, even down in the private area of the Dome.

Yugi looked around. His fellow duelists were all chatting with each other, wandering from group to group. A few waves occasionally were sent his way, and he returned them. A few sore losers were complaining, but most were going over some of the previous duels or exchanging tips. Everything seemed to be normal. Even Kaiba was…was…

…not in the room.

That was odd. Kaiba always came to the Lounge before the finals began, whether or not he was actually dueling. He wasn't particularly sociable, but he was always there.

Come to think of it, Yugi hadn't seen him come into the room at all.

He swallowed hard, feeling very nervous. He had to be jumping to conclusions. _Calm down,_ he told himself. _Just because Kaiba isn't here and Yami isn't back yet doesn't mean that something's happened._ _You're acting paranoid._

"Yug?" Joey tapped him on the shoulder, looking concerned. "You okay?"

To hell with looking paranoid. He knew Joey would understand. "Joey," he said quietly, "You haven't seen Kaiba here at all, have you?"

Joey stared at him for a moment. "Y'know," he said slowly, "I haven't heard one mutt comment all day. That's effin' _weird_. He's _always_ here insultin' us by now."

"That's what I was thinking," Yugi said. His stomach was churning now. "And Yami hasn't been back since he left for the bathroom…"

"…So you're thinkin' that Kaiba's gotten to him?" Joey frowned. "It ain't like you to jump to conclusions like this, Yug. Yeah, it's weird, but you know how Yami is. He's probably got five girls surroundin' him right now. And hey, you know those fans of his would kill anyone who tried to hurt him." He smiled to show his humor, but Yugi could see that his mind was starting to turn in the same direction as his own.

It was just too much of a coincidence. And things had been going almost _too_ smoothly so far. He'd promised himself he'd keep an eye out around his other half, and he intended to hold himself to it.

"All the same, I think I'm going to go look for him," he said, putting his own plate down and rising.

Joey sighed. "All right, man. I'll follow ya in a few. Just gotta throw this crap away," he gestured to the pile of empty plates in front of him.

Yugi nodded and headed for the hallway. If something had happened to him, or even if he'd gotten stopped by a fan, he'd probably be somewhere between here and the bathrooms, and that was as good a place to start as any.

The halls were quiet. They were usually pretty quiet, since the Lounge area was restricted to duelists and security only, but it set his nerves on edge. No noise meant that Yami was not nearby.

Around one corner. He realized he was tip-toeing and nearly started laughing; though, whether out of humor or nerves, he couldn't quite tell. _Come on,_ he thought, _This isn't a library, and it isn't a sneak attack. Relax._ He took a breath and kept going.

Another corner. One end led to the dueling arena. He glanced at the windowed double doors before starting down the other side. Then, he stopped short, running back to the doors; he could've sworn he saw a streak of red and black hair rush by.

He peeked into the arena. No, nothing…it must've been a figment of his imagination. He was far too edgy; he had to calm down.

Suddenly, he saw Kaiba burst through an exit further down, running at full speed. But at what? His eyes followed the CEO's gaze and he gasped.

Yami. Running towards the wrong end of the arena, away from the Lounge. Away from _Kaiba_ …who was gaining on him and gaining _fast._

Anger coursed through him; anger at Kaiba for harassing his other half yet again, and anger at himself for not staying with Yami in the first place.

There was no time to run for help or call security. Yami needed him. Now.

He shoved open the doors and ran at full speed. _Hang on,_ he thought, adrenaline rushing through his veins. _I'm coming._

* * *

Yami couldn't tell whether Kaiba was behind him or still in the hall. The pounding of his feet and the sound of his ragged breathing were all he could hear; even the noises of the chattering crowd had gone silent in his mind. He'd reached the arena, thank Ra. Being out in the open made him feel much better about his chances should Kaiba jump him again; it also made the chances of finding a security guard much higher, and he needed help. He knew it; he couldn't overpower that deranged psycho in the hallway. But he had to make sure Yugi was safe. For all he knew, Kaiba had gone for him instead. Gods, Yugi couldn't get hurt again, he just couldn't…

Suddenly, he realized he was running the wrong way. The Duelists' Lounge was to the _left_ around the dueling platforms, not the _right_. He slowed a bit, wondering whether to just loop around the platforms or turn around.

Footsteps. Behind him. And a voice. "Lost, pharaoh?" _Oh gods,_ he thought, speeding up again.

Laughter. Insane laughter that rang through the vast chamber. "You cannot run forever, _King of Games,_ " Kaiba crowed. Was he getting closer? "You're _mine_ , you fucking pharaoh, MINE, GODDAMNIT, MINEMINEMINE, and I'll catch you, I'll catch you catch you eventually!"

"Fuck you, Kaiba," he growled over his shoulder. Yugi was his partner, but he belonged to _no one_ , especially not a demented, crazed Seto Kaiba. He should fight; he should teach him that once and for all—

A great weight slammed into his back, knocking him flat on his face. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see; he struggled violently, trying to push himself up, trying to crawl away from whatever was on top of him. An arm encircled his chest, pinning his arms to his sides.

"Checkmate," Kaiba sneered into his ear. "For you, and for your precious fucking _other half._ "

Yami growled, kicking with all his strength, mentally shouting in victory when his heel connected with what had to be Kaiba's shin. The arm loosened and he rolled, jumping to his feet.

"Think again," he snapped. He was angry now, truly furious, and he would take Kaiba down for the last time. For himself and for Yugi and all the trouble he'd caused over the past few weeks.

The lanky CEO climbed to his feet and he shifted his weight, preparing to fight. "Don't you _dare_ touch him again," he snarled. And before Seto had a chance to blink, he launched himself forward, attacking with all his strength, forcing him backwards.

Kaiba was cursing at him now, cursing and flailing, blocking some of his punches but caught far too off-guard. "I will _not,_ " he continued, punctuating every other word with a blow, "be part of your twisted _game_. You own _nothing._ And I'll be _damned_ before I EVER let myself or Yugi be ruled by the likes of _you._ "

Kaiba's head snapped up, and Yami saw the insanity and obsession flare up in his eyes, the uncontrolled rage that twisted the normally stoic face into the visage of a monster. A monster that had finally broken its bounds.

"YOU BELONG TO ME,"he thundered, lunging at the smaller duelist and throwing him off balance. "YOU'RE MINE, I FUCKING WON, I FUCKING WON EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING." Yami could barely tell whose fists were whose now; they were brawling like drunken thugs in a bar, not caring for finesse or honor, just flat-out trying to beat each other down. "I WILL BREAK YOU, I'LL FUCKING BREAK YOU I WILL I WILL, THAT FUCKING FIRE WILL DIE, THE COLDANDICE AND COLD WILL FUCKING BREAK YOU AND YOU'LL BE MINEMINEMINEMINE…"

A kick. Kaiba stumbled. Twisted. Yami felt his breath leave his lungs as something slammed into his stomach. Then his head. Stumbling blindly, trying desperately to regain control; he had to recover, he needed time…

A grip on his arm, and his back slammed against one of the dueling platforms, his head connecting so hard, he saw stars; a shadow blocked the light shining in his eyes. Kaiba. He growled, ready to start again.

"You will be _mine_ ," Kaiba snarled, quietly this time. "I will fucking break you into a million fucking pieces, until you _scream_ for mercy." One hand closed around Yami's throat and squeezed lightly. Gods, he was insane. His eyes burned with hatred and obsession; they were frightening. Yami felt his lungs struggle to take a deep breath. "But I don't show mercy," his voice was softer now. "You'll be cowering on the ground, a fucking  _shell_ , and no one wants a broken fucking toy and then I'll have won and won and won and you'll be fucking _finished_. That fire…" his other hand reached up, shaking, stroking Yami's cheekbone and making him shudder; it was getting a lot harder to breathe. "That fire…that fire will be mine…broken and cold and burnt out and _mine_ …cold at last…lost at last…"

Yami clutched at the hand squeezing his windpipe, trying to draw it away. "I…" he gasped, glaring into Kaiba's face, determined to defy him to the end, "will NEVER…belong to you."

Kaiba raised his hand and Yami felt the force of the slap ring through his skull. "Yes you will…" he whispered hoarsely. "My little fire… _submit_ ," he commanded. "Submit and I'll let you go…no one will touch that worthless fucking shrimp of yours, just submit…" The hand tightened.

Yami gasped as his airways tightened further. He managed to look back up. And spat in the taller man's face, trying to wrench his hand away from his throat.

But Kaiba was too fast. He snarled, and lifted Yami off the floor, slamming him back into the wall so hard, his ears rang.

"If you won't be mine," he said, the crazed fire sharpening to a deadly glare. "Then you'll be _dead_." Both hands snaked around his throat, crushing his windpipe. His body reacted, panicking as it lost its air supply, and he struggled, feet flailing a foot above the ground, fingers clawing at the hands around his neck.

There was a rushing in his ears. Kaiba was sneering at him, saying something, but he could barely make out the words. The stars popping into his vision were exploding; he had no control of his body, trying frantically to free itself from the clutch of death. He couldn't breathe; oh gods, he couldn't breathe and he could feel himself losing the fight; it was getting harder and harder to fight back. But he had to, he had to, for his freedom, for Yugi…

_Yugi_ , he thought, his thoughts slow and muddled. His aibou's smiling face swam before his eyes, those beautiful amethyst eyes softly gazing into his own. _I tried so hard to protect you, aibou…_

Yugi said nothing, just smiled gently.

His vision darkened. The illusion slowly faded. _Aibou…stay with me…stay…_

His mind unraveled. He no longer knew which way was up or down. As though from a distance, he felt his struggles slow.

_Yami…Yami..._

His name…his aibou was calling his name…was he…

_Yami!_

Darkness took him.

* * *


	11. Game Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Victor is decided.

Yugi gasped for air as he sprinted as fast as he could towards the dueling platforms. _Gods, this arena is_ _HUGE_ , he thought, mentally groaning at the distance between him and his destination. Kaiba had chased Yami around the platforms and he could hear shouting and fighting, but nothing clear enough for him to know who was winning. The platforms and dueling field were so high, he couldn't see anything on the other side – the result of being sized so that even people in the nosebleed seats of the gigantic stadium could see the action.

 _Hang in there, Yami_ , he thought fiercely, _I'm coming!_ No way was he going to let Kaiba harass his partner  _again_. Yami had put himself in harm's way more than once to ensure Yugi's safety; it was time to return the favor.

As he approached the platforms, he heard Kaiba start screaming that Yami belonged to him, ranting wildly about ice and fire. A low growl that had to be Yami responded and suddenly things got quiet. Too quiet. Yugi sped up, rounding the corner…

…and stopped, staring in horror at the scene before him.

They were nearly at the opposite end of the platform. Kaiba had Yami pinned to the wall…by the throat. A foot or two above the ground. On his face was an expression of mingled fury, possessive greed and flat-out crazed glee. Oh gods, he was  _holding him up_ by his neck, and Yami was choking, struggling for air…but his struggles were weak; he was slowing down…dying.

No. Oh gods, no, Yami couldn't give up…no, not now!

"Yami!" he screamed, kicking himself back into a dead sprint, running as fast as he could towards the pair. Kaiba's head snapped to him and he half-sneered, half-snarled at him, a wordless warning to keep back. Yugi had no intention of listening.

Yami's struggles slowed to mere twitches. _No! No, hold on! Hold on, Yami, please!_ he thought desperately. Kaiba looked back at his captive, smirking in sadistic satisfaction.

The twitches stopped. Yami's desperate grip on Kaiba's hand slackened and his hand fell.

Yugi fought the urge to stop, stare and scream. _NO,_ he mentally wailed, _NO, PLEASE…you CAN'T give up, you CAN'T…_

Then he suddenly felt filled with anger, a burning, anguished fury that seemed to give him new strength. With a scream that was half-challenge, half-plea, he launched himself into the air, jumping as high as he could…

…And landed on Kaiba's back. _Perfect!_ He threw his arms around his neck as though to ride him piggyback-style and squeezed with all his might. _Let Kaiba feel what he did to Yami, let HIM panic_ … The taller man choked at the sudden lack of air, dropping the now-limp former pharaoh as he reached back, trying to grab Yugi.

But Yugi had other ideas. Growling angrily, he shifted so that he slid off his back to the side, kicking at him as hard as he could while maintaining his grip on his neck. Kaiba jerked at the blows, becoming disoriented as Yugi's death-grip pulled his head towards the floor, so he was nearly bent double when Yugi's feet touched the ground. He backed up immediately, back and to the side, away from the crumpled heap that was his other half, causing the CEO to stumble along, his arms flailing as they tried unsuccessfully to make contact with the tiny duelist.

He was shouting, he realized, shouting at Kaiba, but what exactly, he couldn't tell; his voice had a mind of its own as he yanked him around by the neck, steering him headfirst into the wall that separated the duelists from the spectators. Kaiba grunted in pain, and he did it again, fury pounding in his ears and narrowing his focus.

Shouts behind him. Familiar voices. He checked himself for a moment, faltering in his onslaught…and that moment was all that Kaiba needed. A long arm shot out, swinging wildly and connecting with Yugi's side. He grunted at the sudden pain, inadvertently loosening his grip on the taller man, who broke free so violently that Yugi stumbled forward a step or two.

Kaiba turned on him, a look of absolute hatred blazing on his face. "You fucking _brat_ ," he snarled. Yugi didn't give him a chance to continue; he launched himself forward again, kicking out, his foot slamming into the sensitive area right between his legs. The lanky duelist doubled over yet again in pain, and Yugi punched him in the eye, sending him stumbling backward.

"You're INSANE," he shouted. "Out of your MIND, and you'll NEVER have Yami and you'll never have ME! YOU'LL NEVER TOUCH HIM AGAIN, YOU BASTARD!" He leaped again, but Kaiba was prepared this time; his arms shot out and caught Yugi right as he jumped.

He pulled Yugi close to his face. "I," he snarled, "will fucking _end_ you." And he _threw_ Yugi as hard as he could. Yugi felt all his breath leave him as he slammed into the floor, rolling over and over. He struggled to get up, but he was completely winded; he scooted back, not knowing where the demented CEO was but hoping to buy himself a little time to get his breath back.

Footsteps. He realized his eyes were closed, and he forced them open. His breath was returning, and he struggled up, determined to keep fighting. A kick to his stomach sent him flying again, pain erupting through his abdomen.

"Mine…" a soft hiss above him snaked its way into his ear, making him shudder. His eyes were closed again, but he was more concerned with breathing properly. "You're mine now, you fucking _shrimp_ , you're finished you're mine just like him just like him and I will end you, break you for touching what's mine, it's mine he's mine…"

"YUG!" A thump and a thwack made him jump and he forced his eyes open. Joey was struggling with Kaiba, three security guards running up to help. "YOU KEEP YOUR FUCKIN' HANDS OFF HIM, ASSHOLE," his best friend thundered as Kaiba kept up his string of obscenities and crazed threats, no longer speaking in coherent sentences.

Yugi pulled himself up, ready to help, but Joey aimed a well-placed punch to Kaiba's face, causing him to stumble right into the arms of two security guards, who immediately began to subdue him.

"You all right, Yug?" Joey asked, looking worried as he disentangled himself from the fight. But Yugi barely heard him. He was looking over at the dueling platform, at the third security guard who was kneeling over his other half, checking his vital signs. Then he bent down further, beginning to administer CPR. Yugi felt himself go numb. Slowly, he started to jog towards them, denial pounding in his head…he couldn't have been too late...he couldn't…

A jerk, a strangled gasp. Another jerk, as Yami's body responded to the air being forced into his lungs. Hacking coughs reached Yugi's ears as the guard turned his other half gently on his side, allowing him to curl up and cough out anything in his windpipe. Those grating, rasping gasps couldn't have sounded sweeter.

Relief poured through him as he reached them, plopping down beside the guard, who moved out of his way, touching Yami's shoulder gently. Tears of worry and happiness pricked his eyes and he blinked furiously. "It's okay," he said softly, his voice breaking. "It's okay, I'm here; you're going to be okay."

Yami managed to shift, looking up at him. Exhausted relief spread across his features. "Aibou…" he croaked. His hand closed on Yugi's. "Stay with me."

Yugi gently brushed a stray bang out of his face. "Of course," he whispered.

* * *

Seto struggled against the arms trying to hold him down. He could barely see what he was doing but he had to get away, had to get out, had to find the brat and finish the job and win and win and win. No no NO, where was he, where were they, they were HIS AND HIS, HIS HIS HIS THEY BELONGED TO HIM they couldn't resist anymore, they were done and he was winning no he had won and won he had WON HE'D WON THEY LOST AND LOST AND LOST…

He felt himself get shoved to his knees. No, no, he would not be cuffed like a prisoner, he wouldn't he wouldn't he was king and you just didn't DO this to kings! They didn't do it to HIM, no no never, but where was he, where was he…

THERE. A crumpled heap, just as he imagined, just as he DREAMED, the KING OF GAMES in a crumpled, broken heap at his feet! YES AND YES AND YES, HE WAS HIS, HE WAS FINALLY HIS.

"Dude, shut _up_ ," a rough voice behind him growled, sounding irritated and disturbed. But they had to understand, had to see his victory, his absolute victory, he'd finally won, everything and everything and everything and everything was his! HIS AND HIS! MINEMINEMINEMINEEEEE!

"Man, they weren't kidding," another voice said, "he really is off his effin' rocker." Let them sneer, let them mock but soon they'd see, they'd see his ultimate victory, his greatest win his greatest prize his greatest EVERYTHING…

…What? Who was that by his side? Kissing him goodbye, was he, some guard some fan mourning the _LATE King of Games_ …?

Jerk. Groan. Cough. NO. NOOOOOOOOO NO NO NONONONO!

Seto felt as though the ground beneath him had shattered like a piece of cheap glass. HOW COULD HE LIVE? HOW COULD HE BE ALIVE HOW COULD HE, IT COULDN'T BE! NONONONONOOOOO HE WAS LOST AND GONE AND DEFEATED.

And…HIM. The fucking SHRIMP, how the FUCK was he alive and well and walking and nonono he couldn't, NO HE COULDN'T GO TO HIM NO DON'T TOUCH HIM YOU FUCKING BASTARD HE'S MINE HE'S MINE MINE MINE MINEEEEEEEE DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!

Fury like he had never known before coursed through him, sharpening his vision to a clarity that was painful to behold. No, he couldn't let this happen, not now when he was so close…he had to finish it, had to finish it and win and win and let the world know who was his…

"Seto!" a familiar voice called his name, but he was too focused on the pharaoh, slowly being helped into a sitting position by that _fucking parter_  of his. Nonono, no no, he would end it, he would end THEM…

With a snarl and a jerk that took all his strength, he broke free of the guards' grip. He saw only Yami, only him and Yugi and the desire to claim and destroy burned and raged inside him, eating him alive and he lurched towards them, stumbling and growling, the madness churning and glowing in his eyes. The brat's head snapped up to look at him, half in fear, half in anger; his fucking _pharaoh_ stared at him, too weak to rise, half-fascinated, half-horrified. Yugi rose and stood in front of Yami, _HISMYFUCKINGYAMI_ , glaring at him.

Oh, it was going to be a fight again, was it now, he just DIDN'T know when to give up, the fucking brat, but he would show him he'd show him he'd end him end the game win the game…

"Seto! Stop!" that voice again. He ignored it, snarling at the spiky-haired pair, his hands reaching out…

…And captured again, hauling him back, dragging him away, as he tried to keep his feet. NO, NO NO NO NOOOO HE COULDN'T LET THEM WIN COULDN'T LET THEM WIN NO HE WAS HIS GODDAMNIT HIS AND HIS HIS HIS…

He struggled, trying to get away, trying to get back and finish what he started, when his hand knocked something. He stared as a hand-sized black walkie-talkie clattered to the ground. A walkie-talkie. He'd knocked off one of the guards' walkie-talkies.

He could use this. Yes yesyesyes he could…

He gave it all his strength. Wrenching one hand free, he grabbed the device, surprisingly heavy for being a product mostly made of plastic. His eyes found red-violet, that flame and game and fire and fire that wouldn't burn out that was still burning and burning…

"SETO, STOP!"

He hurled it with everything he had, aiming for his head, aiming to kill, aiming to end. To win.

A blur of black. A mop of black that blurred into his vision. And suddenly his vision cleared.

Time slowed down as Mokuba ran at him, coming between him and the two duelists. Right into the path of the walkie-talkie.

THWACK. It slammed into his head.

Mokuba fell.

Everything came to a screeching halt. Sight. Sound. Thought. For the first time in what felt like years, his head was quiet. He stared. Stared in absolute horror.

_Mokuba…no…oh gods…_

His knees gave way, and he fell to his knees, staring silently at his brother. He'd always been there for him. Always. They'd looked out for each other since their days in the orphanage; Seto had devoted his life to KaibaCorp to ensure his future.

How could he do something like this? How could he…how could he hurt his little brother?

Vaguely, he felt the chill of metal as handcuffs secured his wrists behind his back, but he no longer cared. All he cared about was Mokuba. Mokuba on the ground, down because he'd gotten hit right in the head. Because of him, because of HIM, himself...

_Please let him be okay…I'm sorry, Mokuba, I'm so sorry…_

He watched numbly as Joey and a guard approached his brother, crouching to check his vital signs. Gods, how could he have let this happen? How could he have been so blind that he didn't see him?

Joey breathed a sigh of relief. "He's gonna be okay," he said softly, and everyone seemed to relax.

The guard near him nodded. "He'll be awake in a few minutes. Probably won't be worse for wear, except for a nice lump on his head."

Glorious relief mixed with the terrible guilt that ate at his insides, that had finally quelled the voices and quenched the fire. His brother was going to be okay. He felt his eyes burn and his breath become ragged. He'd be okay…he'd be okay…no thanks to himself. But he'd be okay.

A shadow passed near him. He looked up…

Two sets of violet eyes met his. Yugi, his eyes holding sorrow, wariness…relief. Yami…Yami. Leaning heavily on his other half, Yugi's arm around his waist, firmly supporting most of his weight. Yami. Those red-violet eyes held no pity, no vengeance, no anger. His expression was unreadable. For a moment, they stayed there, looking down at the elder Kaiba. The King of Games.

Then, they turned to leave, Joey following behind to lend a hand. Seto felt himself crumble.

They'd won. The true King of Games and his protégé, the two halves of a whole, had won. They'd never truly been defeated, had they? No…no, they never truly had. Never beaten, never conquered. And now they were walking away, the true victors of his game.

His game. His _game_. It was supposed to be his finest hour, the culmination of his final victory, the greatest victory anyone had ever had. But instead, instead…The last card had been drawn, the final turn had ended. Mokuba had gotten hurt. And he was left, as he so often had been, with nothing. Nothing and nothing and nothing. And always, always, they walked away…

…victory in _their_ hands. Not his. _Never_ his.

Sounds nearby. Words. But no words could solve this. He had failed. The failure was his and his and his alone, and it was all his fault. His fault that Mokuba was hurt, his fault that the King of Games had nearly died. His fault that he'd lived to walk away, lived to stare at him with that calm, fiery gaze. His fault. His failure. Those eyes burned into his skull, driving the point home. Defeated, he was, beaten at his own game with only himself to blame for it.

He couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't fight like this anymore. Gods, he was tired, so tired; he'd tried so hard, so hard…but no, no, no, it was over…it was over and Mokuba…he would never be able to look him in the face again. He was nothing now, nothing and no one and there was nothing more he could do but give in.

Everything, he'd lost. Everything and everything. Just like every other duel. He lost everything. Only this time, it was for good…there was no turning back.

He bowed his head. _Very well, King of Games. You win._

Icy flames shattered and burnt their last.


	12. Epilogue

Yami smiled at the little boy in front of him, handing back the card he'd autographed. He couldn't have been more than seven or eight, and he gazed at Yami with childish awe. "You have a great deck, my friend," he said. "Keep up the good work, and remember to fight with honor, and you could end up in the World Championships in no time!"

The boy beamed. His mother smiled, too, and said, "Now, Ichiro, what do you say?"

"Thank 'oo, Yami!" he exclaimed immediately, throwing his arms around the King of Games in a hug of pure excitement.

Yami laughed and hugged the boy back. "You're quite welcome." He straightened as mother and child walked away, watching as the boy babbled happily. He loved children, he really did.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please!" Yami turned to see Yugi standing on the stool behind the counter, hands cupped around his mouth as he shouted for attention. The loud chatter quieted to a soft murmur. "Thank you," he smiled, continuing in a more normal tone. "Unfortunately, we will be closing in ten minutes. Please make your way up to the counter to complete your purchases. If you need help with anything, Yami or I would be happy to assist you."

He jumped back down, greeting the next customer as the noise level rose once again. Yami felt pride swell in him as he moved through the shop. The little game shop was bustling with activity; business had never been better. Part of it, he was sure, was due to Yugi's recent success. In the several, albeit short, months since the fiasco at the KaibaLand Dome, Yugi had risen in the national spotlight to become a top duelist in his own right. Quite often, they worked as a team, though every once in a while, they'd compete against each other.

Of course, Yugi would insist that the fame was mostly Yami's. His other half was entirely too modest for his own good, and Yami would have to playfully remind him that he'd become quite adept at autographing something with one hand while manipulating the register with the other.

Absentmindedly, he rubbed the back of his neck, catching himself after a minute or two and removing his hand. He really should have kicked that habit by now; the absence of either the Puzzle or a neck collar no longer felt odd. He still liked the style, of course…he just didn't like having things around his neck these days. The collar especially made him feel suffocated, no matter how loosely he wore it.

It was silly, really. He knew it was all in his head. But every time he tried to wear something around his neck, he felt Kaiba's hands around his neck, squeezing the life out of him as his vision went dark…

He shuddered. It wasn't something he could forget easily.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the chiming of the clock. 8 PM – closing time. There were still a few people waiting to pay, so he merely flipped the sign on the door to "Closed"; he'd lock it once they left. In the meantime, he began to straighten the shelves. Busy days like this always resulted in the shop going from neat and orderly to barely organized chaos.

In a few minutes, the bell above the door rang for the last time, and the door closed to a quiet shop. Yugi let out a sigh, and Yami looked over at him from behind a case of puzzles. His head was resting on the counter.

Yami grinned. "Tired, aibou?" he teased. "I can't imagine why."

"If I have to squint at any more tiny price tags today, I'm going to go blind," Yugi mumbled.

Yami walked over to the counter, not bothering to hide his amusement. "You say that every time we have a busy day." He leaned on it, facing his partner, and poked his shoulder.

Yugi raised his head and his lips twitched into a self-deprecating grin. "Yeah, I know…I should be used to this by now, shouldn't I?"

"Absolutely. No excuses," Yami said, trying to look stern. Yugi's amused expression told him he was failing. "Now come on, the faster we clean up in here, the faster we'll get to have dinner." He moved to the side, heading towards a particularly disheveled pile of games.

The bell rang as the door opened. Yami mentally smacked himself on the head for forgetting to lock up; they'd often get a straggler hoping to sneak a purchase after hours.

"Sorry, sir," Yugi said politely, "But I'm afraid we're cl—." He stopped. Yami looked up. Yugi looked shocked…and wary. Slowly, Yami turned around…

…And met the gaze of Seto Kaiba.

He tensed automatically, his expression becoming guarded. The last time he'd seen him, he was being dragged away by two security guards in the Dome, after trying to hurt Yami one last time. After Kaiba had almost killed him, his sanity spiraling away…he still remembered the wild look of rage, hate and glee on his face as his hands crushed his windpipe. The images still haunted his nightmares every so often.

Yami knew, of course, that he was no longer a threat to anyone. His title of CEO had been handed to Mokuba; he'd spent months in a private psychiatric facility and had been released home a few days ago. The last he had heard, Kaiba was recovering, but would never be the same.

The man in front of him barely resembled the Kaiba he remembered. Physically, he looked much the same as ever, though it was decidedly strange seeing him in casual clothes; sweatpants and Kaiba were not two words one often used together. But his expression no longer held the cold arrogance of someone long used to being on top; his posture was slightly slumped, no longer ramrod straight. His eyes no longer held that wild, obsessive rage.

This Kaiba looked broken. There was an air of tired defeat about him, as though he'd given up. He met Yami's gaze steadily, his stare much softer than it had ever been, but it seemed as though it was costing him strength to do so. He stood on the threshold of the shop as though he was unsure what to do next. Almost as though he was…nervous.

It was painful to observe. Of all the people he had fought – or even known – Kaiba was the last person Yami would have expected to break like this. Before he'd lost his mind, he'd been strong and sharp, bending to no one's will but his own. It was sad that things had turned out like they did. Out of the corner of his eye, Yami observed his other half wearing an expression of surprise and sorrow, clearly thinking along the same lines as he was.

Yami willed himself to speak. "Can...uh...can we help you, Kaiba?"

Kaiba blinked. Then, he nodded, looking uncomfortable. Slowly, he walked towards the counter, reaching into his coat pocket. He stopped in front of them, pulling something from his pocket. He looked at it for a moment, and spoke.

"I meant…to do this sooner," he said quietly, his tone mirroring the defeat in his eyes. "These…" he swallowed, "these belong to you." He held out his hand, which Yami now observed was holding three pieces of stiff paper.

The three God cards. The cards Yami had been half-coerced into handing him at the press conference, that seemed so long ago but was really only a few months behind them.

Slowly, Yami reached out and took them. He looked up at Kaiba, and realized that this was his way of apologizing…of trying to make things right.

"Thank you," he said somberly. He meant it.

A weight seemed to lift off Kaiba's shoulders as he took a breath. He nodded acknowledgement at him, and then at Yugi. Then, he turned to go.

"Kaiba," Yugi called softly, his tone sad. Kaiba stopped, but didn't turn around. "Are…Will you be okay?"

Silence for a moment. Then, so softly they could barely hear him, he whispered, "I don't know."

"Well…good luck," Yami said. He wasn't sure what else to say. Kaiba nodded once again and left. Yami saw him get into a short limousine, which drove away at once.

Yami looked at the cards in his hand. It seemed a cruel twist of irony that everything that Kaiba had tried to take from him was his again. But instead of things just going back to the way they were, Kaiba had lost everything. His mind, his title, his company, his reputation…he'd laid it all on the line in his drive to best him. And it had all backfired, blowing up violently in his face. And now…he was ruined, a shadow of his former self. Somehow, it didn't seem fair.

"Yami?" He looked up to see Yugi standing in front of him, the key to the shop in his hand. Yami knew without having to say anything that Yugi's expression mirrored his own.

"I never thought…" he said, trailing off, suddenly unsure of what he'd meant to say.

But Yugi understood. "I know," he said.

He took his partner's hand, and they exited the shop, heading up to the living quarters above it. Yami pocketed the cards. They seemed heavier than usual. They'd always meant a lot to him…he'd always looked at them and seen the key to his past, his triumph over evil itself, finally coming to know his identity in the process.

They still symbolized his greatest triumph. But now they were also laden with the scars of defeat. The symbol of a man, who had striven far too hard to taste the fruits of victory, so hard that he'd never considered the consequences…and ended up paying a price so steep, he would never be the same. 

He'd created his own Penalty Game...but now the last card had been played. The final turn had ended.

And now, the game was over.

* * *

The end.

 


End file.
